Far from the Tree
by Aaron12
Summary: It's a real family feud when Kim and Ron are introduced to Señor Senior Senior's sister and niece... Señora Nora Senior and Señorita Rita Senior. A woman of impeccable morals and honor, Nora has plans to finally terminate her younger brother's villainous "hobby". But when Rita becomes smitten with Ron, Senior sees an opportunity to take advantage of the sitch.
1. Chapter 1

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Welcome, one and all, to the sixth story in my Kim Possible "series" (at this point, I think it's pretty safe to say that we can call it a series). For those who have read my stories before, I welcome you back and hope that you find this work every bit as satisfying as my previous stories (although you'll most likely ignore this message since you already know what I'm about to say). For those of you who are just reading my work for the first time, you are no doubt asking questions and have some catching up to do. So with that in mind, I will provide you with a list of the stories I have previously written. They are as follows...

"Decisions, Decisions"  
"The More Things Change..."  
"Bonnie Double"  
"Home(s) Away from Home"  
"Monkey Power, American Dragon"

All these stories and more can be located in my library on my Profile page. Well, as usual, my "patting-on-the-back" time is up for today, so on with the story. Enjoy.

Kim Possible  
Far from the Tree  
Part 1  
By Aaron

"Give it up, Senior!" Kim demanded. "One way or another, we're walking out of here with that supercomputer processor you stole!"

Here was a familiar sight. Kim and Ron stood ready to go against Señor Senior Senior and Señor Senior Junior in the main foyer of their mansion. Meanwhile, Maximillion Ambro, Kim and Ron's self-appointed teammate and one-time incarnation of none other than the wizard Merlin, merely sat with his feet propped up on a nearby table, calmly sipping his usual cup of tea. After all, as things stood, he saw no need to jump into the fray just yet. Kim and Ron were both more than capable of handling the current situation themselves. Senior, however, seemed to be brimming with confidence of his own as he stood on the other side of the room with his usual air of calm.

"Ah, your bold declarations never cease to move me, Kim Possible," he complimented in his usual well-mannered tone, "However, I fear…"

"…you must respectfully decline," Kim and Ron interrupted, their rather dry tone of voice indicating that they were neither surprised nor impressed by Senior's response.

"Jinx! You owe me a kiss," Kim immediately sounded playfully, to which Ron was perfectly happy to respond with a quick, but soft peck on the lips before turning back to the subject at hand. "Now, where were we?"

Max could only shake his head with and chuckle under his breath in amusement. Senior, meanwhile, was hardly intimidated by Kim and Ron's bubbly approach to their standoff as he pulled a small remote control from the inside of his jacket.

A moment later, with the simple press of a button, the doors behind Senior and Junior slid open to reveal the true purpose of their thievery. Marching out, single file, was a small army of hulking robots. With their massive frames, clawed hands, mounted laser cannons and tank treads on their feet for additional speed, they truly were an imposing sight, indeed. Or at least, they WOULD be imposing to anyone else. For Kim, Ron and Max, however…

"Smashing robots?" Max uttered under his breath, his voice rising to a shout as he suddenly popped up behind Kim and Ron. "I LOVE smashing robots!"

"Oh, this is so funny," Kim remarked with an amused grin, "Ron and I were actually talking about this just the other day…"

"Mmm hmm…Yeah, you know, we were actually wondering when you were gonna get into the whole 'robot army' thing," Ron added matter-of-factly. "I mean, the cliché is just so YOU."

"Oh yeah," Rufus chirped, nodding in agreement as he popped out of Ron's pocket.

"Well then, perhaps you would like to test just how clichéd these robots really ARE," Senior replied, hardly rattled by Kim and Ron's rather casual response to his forces. But before he could signal his robots to attack, a piercing tone cut through the air just behind him. And it didn't take long for him to realize where it was coming from as he turned his head in Junior's direction.

"Oh! Excuse me for just one second," Junior responded, turning away as he pulled out his cell phone, "Yes…OOOOOO sweet-ums! How lovely of you to call! Yes…yes, we are absolutely going out tomorrow night…which dress? Well, the green one brings out your eyes, but the black one really shows off your figure. Of course, you have already worn both of those dresses once before, so…hmmmm…HEY?!"

"He will call you back," Senior answered sternly as he snatched Junior's phone away, immediately shutting it off.

"Oh, FATHER!" Junior whined.

"Junior, when I agreed to let you have girlfriend, you assured me that this…'Bonnie' person would not interfere with your villainy," Senior argued in a disciplinary tone.

"But Father, this was a very important conversation!" Junior shouted.

As the spat went on, Kim and Ron could only look at each other and shrug. They had seen these kinds of arguments between Senior and Junior before, but no matter how many times it happened, it still seemed so surreal to watch. Even Max found it particularly bizarre as he suddenly stepped forward.

"Uh, I'm sorry. Could you excuse us for a moment?" he announced, getting Senior and Junior's attention before turning back to Kim and Ron. "Could…you guys step into my office for just a moment, please? Thank you."

Junior and Senior could only look on bewilderment as Max led Kim and Ron back a few steps. Even Kim and Ron were unsure as to what exactly Max was trying to accomplish. But a moment later, Max leaned in closer, revealing the purpose of his impromptu meeting.

"Uuuhhh, listen…I really don't want to step on anybody's toes here or sound like I'm overstating the obvious because you guys obviously know these guys a lot better than I know these guys," he whispered, trying to make sure not to be heard by Junior or Senior in an attempt to be polite. "But, um…I'm looking at these guys and…I REALLY don't think they're super villains…"

Pausing briefly, Max looked back over in Junior and Senior's direction, with Kim and Ron shifting their gaze towards them as well. Junior and Senior, meanwhile, still looked every bit as perplexed as they did when Max had first interrupted them. But Max simply responded with a half-hearted chuckle and a fluttery wave to show that everything was fine before rolling his eyes back to Kim and Ron so he could finish his thought…

"…I think they're IDIOTS."

"It's okay, we…we know," Kim answered with a reassuring nod as she and Ron both reached up to pat Max on the shoulder.

"Yeah, you…you just gotta go with it, dude," Ron added simply with a shrug.

"Go with it?" Max asked.

Kim and Ron simply replied with a nod. Max then turned to face Senior and Junior, who still had no idea what to make of what was happening. But Max found himself turning back to Kim and Ron, as if to make absolutely certain.

"Go with it?"

Once again, Kim and Ron answered with a simple nod. And still, Senior and Junior had no real clue what was happening. That is, until Max whipped around towards them, a twisted grin slashed across his face.

"AAAAAAAAARE YOU READY, SKEE-DADDIES!!!" he howled amid shrieks of wild laughter, "IT'S GO TIIIIIIIME!!!"

Senior and Junior could only step back nervously as Max's maniacal laugh echoed through the room. But it wasn't just his sudden crazed demeanor that was enough to give them pause. Maybe it was a trick of their track lighting, but did he actually appear to be…glowing? It must have been, because the glow faded just as quickly as it had appeared while Max instantly returned to his calm state, turning his head back to Kim and Ron with a cheesy grin.

"How was that, too much?"

"Mmm…MAAAAYBE just a smidge," Kim responded, smiling in an attempt to look encouraging, but unable to avoid a slight wince as Ron and Rufus nodded in agreement.

"I must apologize but, if we are quite done…," Senior announced, preparing to launch his robots against Kim and the others upon realizing that this scenario was quickly going nowhere. Instantly, Kim and Ron snapped back to the ready, preparing, themselves, for the battle that was sure to follow. But before Senior could activate his army, an explosion ripped through the wall of the room, catching everyone completely by surprised.

"Oh great…NOW what?" Kim exclaimed as three figures began to emerge in the settling dust that had been kicked up from the explosion.

"I am truly disappointed in you, Baby Senior," a female voice pierced through the haze, weighted with a heavy Spanish accent. "Did you truly believe this day would never come?"

"No…," Senior uttered with stunned eyes as he stepped back in shock. "No, it cannot be…"

Kim and Ron hardly knew what to make of Senior's reaction. After all, he was usually so calm and collected. Who in the world could possibly unhinge him like this? Junior, however, was surprised as well, but there was almost a twinkle in his eyes as the figures slowly came into view.

It was two women and what appeared to be a small robot with wheels for legs, wearing a tuxedo jacket, shirt and bow tie. One woman was clearly older, standing tall and thin. Dressed in her shirtwaist and long skirt, both frilled with lace and complete with a hair bun and an equally frilled parasol, she looked almost like an elegant woman of privilege from the 1800s. The younger woman looked to be about Kim and Ron's age, with long, flowing black hair. And she was dressed nowhere near as conservatively, with her short skirt, black leggings, knee-high stiletto boots and a black sweater with a dress shirt underneath. But one notable factor for sure was that both women had the exact same skin tone as Junior and Senior. Just who WERE these people?

"Lupo!" the elder woman requested firmly, turning her head in the robot's direction, "Deactivate these eyesores at once."

"At once, Señora," the robot calmly complied as a small communications dish popped out of its shoulder, emitting a signal which managed to shut down each and every one of Senior's robots. "Task complete."

"Ah, much better. Thank you, Lupo," the elder woman replied.

"Oh, AUNTIIIIEEEEEE!!!" Junior squealed, unable to contain himself as he nearly knocked Senior over, running over to the elder woman and hugging her tightly, "It is so good to see you!"

"Oh Junior, I am happy to see you, too," the elder woman responded, hugging Junior back with a soft pat on his shoulder before pulling away slightly and holding his face in her hands. "Now stand back, let me have a look. Ooohhh, you have grown into such a fine young man, haven't you?"

"I have a girlfriend, too," Junior added excitedly. "Would you like to meet her?"

"Oh, that would be wonderful. I'm sure she is very nice," the elder woman answered as Junior happily hugged her again. Senior, however, was not feeling anywhere near as warm and fuzzy.

"What are YOU doing here?" he demanded in a clearly aggravated voice.

"I beg your pardon, but I believe the TRUE question is, what are YOU doing with these monstrosities of metal and wire?" the elder woman argued, pointing her parasol towards Senior's robots.

"Uh, excuse me," Kim's voice nervously called out, getting everyone's attention with a fluttery wave. "But, we were kind of in the middle of a sitch here. And now…we're obviously in the middle of another one. So…do you think maybe someone can tell us what's going on here?"

"Baby Senior, do you mind?" the elder woman scolded, "Introductions, please! Has your sense of etiquette truly deteriorated so much?"

"Oh, very well. But must you insist on continuing to refer to me by that inane nickname?" Senior muttered under his breath with a most uncomfortable sigh before turning to Kim and the others. "Kim Possible, Ron Stoppable and…you whose name I have not yet been told. Allow me to introduce to you my…older sister…Señora Nora Senior…and her daughter, Señorita Rita Senior."

"Hi," the younger girl known as "Senorita Rita Senior" greeted with a half-hearted wave, having remained still and silent up until then.

"Oh, you've GOT to be kidding…," Kim groaned, as Ron's jaw dropped, both of them clearly expecting the worst. After all, twice as many Seniors could ONLY mean twice as much trouble.

* * *

"Haaaaaaaaaaaah!" Max breathed after taking a long, lingering sip of tea and turning to Señora Nora Senior, "Madam…where did you acquire this AMBROSIA?! I mean, the stuff I'VE been swallowing tastes like SWILL by comparison!"

Kim and Ron could only sit dumbfounded around the main table, along with Max and their older and more recent acquaintances of the Senior family. There was something about having a spot of tea with two arch-foes and the RELATIVES of said arch-foes that seriously didn't feel right. Even Rufus was at too much of a loss to even touch the cookies that Nora's robot butler, Lupo, had distributed around the table. Senior appeared to be no happier with the situation himself, although his outlook appeared to be one more of aggravation than bewilderment. And the new girl named Rita seemed to be bored more than anything. In fact, the only ones who seemed to be enjoying the moment were Junior, Max and Nora, who simply turned in Max's direction with a warm smile.

"Lupo, can you provide our new friend here with the location of this tea we purchased?" Nora asked in a most polite and dignified manner.

"Of course, Señora," Lupo replied, shooting an extendable arm out from a compartment in "his" chest, which handed Max a small card with all the information he required.

"Sweet!" Max responded enthusiastically, "I can get there, too."

"Auntie, look! I finished all my tea!" Junior announced happily as he trotted over to her, feeling all the pride of a small child.

"Why, yes you did. Oh, you have always been such a good boy, Junior," Nora replied dotingly, gliding her hand down Junior's cheek as he giggled before flashing Senior an acid stare, "Regardless of HOW your father has raised you."

"Are we having fun yet?" Rita remarked dryly from across the table, still clearly not amused.

"Patience Rita, please. I know this is not your favorite activity," Nora replied with an understanding tone, "But we will not be staying much longer."

"So, uh…Señora…Nora Senior…is it?" Kim asked pensively, trying to broach the conversation as politely as possible, given the circumstances. "You're…Senior's sister, huh?"

"Quite so, my dear, which is precisely why I am here at this time," Nora replied, tossing Senior another dirty look, "Let it just be said that I have not exactly approved of my brother's most recent…'hobby'. Family honor requires that I take certain steps to…intervene."

"Yes, my sister has always had a particularly overdeveloped sense of morality," Senior remarked, now turn to flash a scowl of contempt in Nora's direction.

"Just as you would seem to have a particularly STUNTED one," Nora argued.

"What? You're talking about the whole 'super villain' thing?" Ron chimed in. "Well…no offense, but…he's been kinda doing this for the last three years. Aren't you…you know…a little late here?"

"Not to sound overly critical, but Ron DOES have a good point," Kim added. "If you know what's been going on with him this whole time, why do you suddenly care what he does NOW?"

"Well, to be honest, I would have preferred to involve myself much sooner," Nora answered. "But these last three years, all of my time and effort has been invested in my daughter, Rita, ensuring that she receives the proper upbringing and education she deserves. However, Rita graduated from high school last spring – a straight 'A' student three years in a row, I am so proud of her - and has chosen to take a year off to explore her college options. So this has allowed me to divert my focus into other…more neglected…areas."

Rita merely responded to her mother's remarks with an eye roll and a light shrug, further demonstrating her indifference. Kim and Ron, however, were still not entirely sure what to make of the whole situation. All they really knew for sure as they tossed each other an uneasy glance was that this was becoming more and more uncomfortable with each passing minute.

"Yyyyyyeah, okay…," Kim responded nervously as her eyes shifted back and forth, "Well…the only reason we're here is to get that supercomputer processor back, so…if we could just have that…"

"Ah, understood. Well then, you shall have it," Nora replied. "Lupo, if you would be so kind."

"Yes Señora. I am detecting a large output of power in the next room. I shall begin my search there," Lupo answered with a nod before heading off in search of Senior's stolen item. Senior, meanwhile, could take no more as he finally rose to his feet.

"Nora, we are not children anymore!" he protested. "I will not allow you to come into MY home and…!"

"LITTLE BROTHER…!" Nora shot back, slapping her parasol across the table.

What no one suspected, however, was that several of Senior's robots, frozen in their standing positions, were actually quite precariously balanced and would take only the mildest shift for any of them to topple. And Nora's outburst provided exactly that. As her parasol struck the table, the robot standing next to the corner began to teeter forward like a felled tree. And not only that, but Rita was sitting directly under its toppling form.

"RITA!" Nora cried out in shock.

Rita could only sit frozen, unable to escape the towering metal construct collapsing down upon her in time. But just then, a firm hand grabbed Rita by the collar of her shirt, wrenching her out of her seat. At the same time, there was a shrill, metallic crash as a powerful kick smashed right into the robot's body, sending it flying back like a cannonball and slamming into three other robots that were standing behind it.

All four robots crashed through the far wall into the next room a second later, where Lupo had located the computer housing the stolen processor and was already in the process of removing it. However, to Nora's robotic manservant, this was of little consequence. Turning his head only slightly, he merely acknowledged the twisted pile of metal and debris lying just a few yards away with a mild disinterest before returning to the task at hand.

Out in the main room, however, the response couldn't have been more mixed. Kim and the others were more or less unfazed by what they were seeing. Kim and Rufus even breathed a sigh of relief as Max flashed out a casual "thumbs up" in a mid-sip of tea. However, Senior and Nora could only stand in wide-eyed shock. Even Junior was too stunned to bite down on the cookie he'd just placed in his mouth.

For of all the people who could have come to Rita's aid, who should have appeared but Ron Stoppable. Standing at the corner of the table, his entire body was flashing with its Mystical Monkey Power glow, his leg still jutting forward in mid-kick as he cradled Rita in his arms. And Rita, who had simply been unmoved by anything that had happened since she had arrived, suddenly seemed filled with wide-eyed excitement as she looked up at Ron's face and instinctively curled up closer to him.

"Aw man, that was close," Ron noted plainly setting Rita back down on her feet and putting his hand on her shoulder as he quickly looked her over. "Are you okay?"

"Uuuuuuuuuhhh…uuuuuuuuuhhh…" Rita shuddered, suddenly shifting her gaze away as Ron happened to glance into her eyes.

Rita could only stand rooted to the spot, her fingers fidgeting slightly as her eyes darted back and forth. Unlike before, where she simply had nothing she wanted to say, now she seemed unable to think of anything. And yet somehow, it didn't seem like the kind of reaction that normally came in response to a sudden shock. If anything, the way she suddenly hung her head, avoiding looking at Ron face to face… she looked almost…shy.

"Oh Rita, my beautiful girl!" Nora whooped as she ran over, wrapping her arms tightly around Rita's neck. Then, after checking her once over as well to make sure Rita was fine, she whirled her head towards Senior with a furious glare.

"Need I say more?!"

With no argument to offer, Senior could only respond with an indignant frown just as Lupo wheeled back into the room. With his typical mechanical demeanor, the little robot seemed neither moved, nor interested by what was happening at that moment. He cared only about the task he had been assigned. Something that anyone who glanced into the open door behind him would clearly see if they noticed the smattering of parts he had reduced Senior's computer center to in looking for the processor.

"I believe I have located the object you instructed me to find, Senora," he announced.

"Well, I…guess that means we'd…better be going, then," Kim replied, trying to sound as polite as she could. Of course, she was simply trying to disguise the fact that she was hoping to have already upset Senior's plans with Ron and Max and be halfway home by now. She wasn't counting on getting dragged into the eye of this family storm that had suddenly decided to blow in.

"Oh!" Nora exclaimed, hugging Rita close to her again. "Well, after saving my most beautiful daughter, the least I can offer you is transportation home."

Before Kim could even think to accept or reject her offer, Nora pulled out a small remote control and activated it. Suddenly, an enormous gust of wind slammed into the room from the hole in the wall Nora had blasted earlier, announcing the presence of a colossal airship hovering several hundred yards over Senior's home. A second later, a giant crane dropped from above, gently clamping onto Kim's car and hoisting it inside. One thing this illustrated very clearly, Señora Nora Senior was a VERY decisive woman. She wasn't the type to even wait around to take "no" for an answer.

"Allow me to welcome you to my home," Nora stated proudly.

"THAT'S your HOME?!" Kim could only blurt out, staring up through the hole in the wall along with Ron and Max.

"I find the concept of owning seasonal houses to be grossly inefficient," Nora explained. "So I've simply arranged for my home to move wherever I wish to go."

"Hmmm…that's not a bad idea. I should really think about that," an impressed Max muttered to himself before turning his attention to Ron. "So what do you think, they get good satellite reception?"

"Uh, dude? I think they've got their own SATELLITE," Ron answered, pointing towards a small metal sphere hovering around the airship.

"Of course they do," Kim noted with a heavy sigh, simply wanting to get the day over with at this point. "Well, since you've already gone to the trouble…,"

Nora simply responded with a warm smile as a heavy rope ladder rolled down from the airship. Ron was quick to reach out and grab a hold of it before it swung away from the wall. But as he turned around, he noticed Rita standing behind him, just millimeters away. Once again hanging her head, avoiding Ron's gaze, she looked every bit as nervous and fidgety as before, rubbing her arm and murmuring under her breath.

"Oh, uh…ladies first," Ron responded, handing the rope ladder towards her and offering her a courteous grin.

Ron was only trying to be polite in handing the rope ladder to Rita. So he couldn't understand why she seemed so pensive as she reached forward. Pulling her hand away more than once, she seemed almost frightened to take it from him. But as she finally grasped the rope, she couldn't help but let out a tiny giggle under her breath. There was even a slight blush across her cheeks as she looked over her shoulder towards Ron with a bashful smile. Ron, however, was tossing a smile of his own in Kim's direction and failed to notice. But the same couldn't be said for Kim, who responded with a suspicious frown as Rita made her way up the ladder.

"Uh, Ron…you don't think she's acting kind of…weird…all of a sudden?" Kim asked, with more than just a hint of concern in her voice.

"What do you mean?" Ron replied simply.

After having known Rita for only a few minutes, it didn't seem to Ron that he could possibly know what the definition of "weird" behavior meant in her case. Kim, however, was trying to give him a rather strong hint. But once she realized that he wasn't picking up on it, all she could do was shake her head and let a hollow giggle pass her lips.

"Never mind," she answered, cupping Ron's face in her hands and softly kissing his cheek before looking into his eyes with a gentle sigh and a loving smile. "Oh…you are SO adorable."

"…Wha-at?!" Ron blurted out with a pair of wide-eyed blinks, his tone of voice indicating that he REALLY wanted to know what Kim was trying to tell him, "Kim?!"

Kim, however, was already making her way up the ladder and simply found the situation much too cute to give him an answer. Rufus, however, could only slap his own forehead in frustration as Ron climbed up after her. Of course, Ron's confusion was far beyond Nora's notice as she approached the ladder to climb up herself. But before doing so, she was quick to whirl around to Senior with a grim frown and a most serious warning.

"I WILL be watching you."

With that, Nora made her ascent, with Max right behind her. Still, he couldn't resist throwing in his two cents as he looked back towards Senior with an amused smirk.

"Ooooooo, someone's in TROOOUUU-BLLLLLLE," he remarked childishly before jumping out the window.

Laughing hysterically, Max simply allowed himself to dangle from the rope ladder as the airship surged forward. Senior, however, was nowhere nearly as amused, staring through the hole in his wall with an angry scowl at his sister's massive flying home disappearing towards the horizon.

* * *

All was quiet in Middleton as Kim's parents returned home after a late night out. With Jim and Tim out on a sleepover and Kim out on a mission with Ron, there seemed little reason why they should be the only ones sitting around doing nothing. Still, the lights shining out from the windows and Kim's car parked in the garage made it perfectly clear that someone had made it back before them.

"Hey Kimmie! We're home!" James announced as he and Anne walked in the front door. But strangely enough, even though the TV in the living room was on, there was no reply to his voice, which made both parents naturally curious.

"Kimmie?" Anne called out softly as they both walked around the couch, "Kim, are you ho…? Oh…!"

One look as Kim's parents walked in was all the answer they needed to why their daughter wasn't answering. Sprawled out on the couch, in front of the television, was Ron, with Kim lying on top of him, both fast asleep. They must have both passed out almost immediately after getting back from their mission. Even Rufus was curled up comfortably in one of the sleeves of Ron's jacket, which was thrown over the back of the recliner.

Kim, meanwhile, looked quite cozy herself, her head gently nestled into the crook of Ron's neck. And as Ron's hand softly cradled the back of her head, as if he'd fallen asleep stroking her hair, both their lips were curled in a warm, sleepy grin. It was as if they both seemed happier and more content at that moment than they'd ever had before.

"Mmmm…mmm…mmmmm…" Kim murmured, her hand lazily reaching up and tugging on Ron's shirt as she snuggled up tighter against him.

"Oooooooh, that is so cute," Anne uttered under her breath, clearly moved by the scene in front of them. "I know I should take a picture, but I'd hate to wake them up."

"Nnnnh…I don't know how I feel about THIS," James muttered, clearly not taking what he was seeing with the same good humor as his wife.

"Oh, stop," Anne responded with a reassuring tone as she walked from a nearby closet with a spare blanket. "This is no different than when they were kids, remember? They'd go outside, run around until they got exhausted, then they'd come back in and pass out, just like this…"

"…Honestly, they've been sleeping together since they were SEVEN."

James was hard-pressed to come up with an argument. He only seemed able to grumble something under his breath in disapproval. But his words couldn't quite be made out as Anne gently draped the blanket over Kim and Ron and turned off the television, taking care not to disturb them.

"Come on, there'll be no more of that. Now let's leave them be. They're getting some sleep and we ought to do the same," Anne coaxed, taking James' hand and leading him out of the living room towards the upstairs. She then turned off the lights a moment later as they left, masking Kim and Ron in the darkness of the night as the pair remained huddled together in their dreamy embrace.

* * *

The blue morning sky perfectly lit up the living room with its dim glow. But Ron was still half asleep…until he felt a warm, gentle touch flutter past his cheek. Up until that point, he was only just barely aware of himself. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew he was sleeping. But for some reason, he couldn't remember getting home. It was only when another soft touch grazed his cheek…and then another…that his brain began to function more clearly. Why could he feel something lying on top of him? And what was that pressing against his cheek anyway…?

Just then, his mind suddenly sprang to life. Instantly, he recognized this touch. He'd felt it too many times to not know what it was. But if he was sleeping, how could it…? His eyes snapping open in surprise, Ron's gaze darted upward and sure enough. As unbelievable as it seemed, there was Kim, who'd been softly tracing tender kisses across his cheek the entire time.

"MMMMMMMMM!!!" Ron's surprised shriek was muffled as Kim quickly slapped her hand over his mouth to keep him from waking up the rest of the house. Kim was hardly surprised that this was the kind of reaction Ron would give and she was completely prepared for it when she started kissing him awake. But even though she fully saw it coming, she just couldn't keep herself from giggling when it actually happened.

"Good morning to you, too," she replied under her breath, trying to stifle her laughter as she finally took her hand away from Ron's mouth.

"KP?" Ron blurted out, much quieter now that the initial surprise had worn off. But his mind was still scrambling for answers as his head shifted around the room, trying to get his bearings.

"Aw, man," he exclaimed as he finally realized what was happening, "Did…did we just…?"

"Gee, it sure looks that way, doesn't it?" Kim answered, her amusement still lingering in her voice.

"Well, uh…wow…this is…awkward," Ron stated, his eyes darting back and forth nervously, "So…what…time is it? I guess I…probably should…get going now, huh?"

Ron was all too willing to collect Rufus and his jacket and leave at that moment to avoid any potential discomfort that might arise. But as he tried to get up, he felt Kim suddenly shift her weight down across his shoulders in an attempt to pin him down, forcing him to look back up at her.

"Yeah…you COULD do that," Kim remarked, rolling her eyes playfully before meeting Ron's gaze with a warm, tender smile. "Or you could…maybe stay here? You know…even if it's…just for a little while?"

Kim continued to look into Ron's eyes with a loving grin, but there was something else hidden behind her expression. Something that said there was only one answer she really wanted him to give at that moment. Maybe it was because they'd fallen asleep as soon as they'd returned and she didn't get the chance to spend the kind of time with Ron that she wanted when they got home. Or perhaps the explanation was something far simpler. Maybe Kim didn't have a reason at that moment. Maybe all she had was just an inescapable need to be close to him.

Of course, Ron didn't have to say anything, either. All he had to do was smile at her and Kim knew she had her answer as they snuggled together briefly. A moment later, she pulled away and looked back into his eyes. But now it was her turn to see that Ron's face was masking something deeper underneath. There was a definite happiness in his smile as he looked up at her. That much was obvious. But at the same time, Kim could see something else in his eyes. It was as if he seemed almost…confused.

"What is it?" she felt compelled to ask, the touch of her fingertips as soft as her voice as she gently brushed the side of Ron's head.

"Huh…?! Oh…it's nothing, I guess," Ron answered simply, caught off guard for a moment by Kim's question. But as he paused to pan his gaze slowly around the living room, it was all-too clear that there was indeed something on his mind.

"It's just…I'm HERE, you know?" he added, slowly looking back into Kim's eyes and showing all the affection he could as he slowly caressed her cheek with his thumb. "I'm looking into the eyes of the most…BEAUTIFUL woman in the world. And sometimes, all I can think about is…'she is ABSOLUTELY…PERFECT'…"

"…I just can't figure it out. How did I get so lucky?"

As Ron's words escaped his lips, Kim could only seem to respond with a heavy sigh as she leaned down and gently pressed her forehead to his. A moment later, her head shifted as she caressed Ron's lips with a set of soft kisses before finally pulling away and looking down at him with a smile that actually seemed…amused. It was as if she couldn't see what it was that he still didn't understand.

"You know…one of these days you're going to realize that luck…REALLY didn't have a whole lot to do with it," she replied, every word that escaped her lips gentle and loving as she reached up and softly held Ron's face in her hands. At that moment, she paused and shook her head with another sigh, this one much lighter than the first.

"Ron…you make me smile…you make me laugh. And I don't care what anyone's ever said…I ALWAYS thought you were cute…I still do," she continued as her lips curled into a smile filled with sweetness and light. "Believe me, I could go on…and on…and on. But it all really boils down to just one thing…"

"…Whenever I'm with you…whenever I even see you…I just feel happy…"

Ron was already moved by Kim's words more than he could ever say. But it was what Kim said next that truly reached into his heart as she looked deep into his eyes and sighed one more time.

"I…am SO…in love with you."

Ron knew he didn't have to confirm whether or not she was sincere. Kim Possible was never the type of person to say something she didn't mean…ESPECIALLY when it came to her feelings. And as Ron reached up and gently caressed her cheeks, it seemed as though there was no force in existence that would be able to remove the smile from his face.

"I'm in love with you, too," he uttered under his breath, "I mean, how could I NOT be? Kim…I can't think of a single day of my life that's been complete without you."

"Well…then I guess that means today's off to a pretty good start already, doesn't it?" Kim responded with a light smirk, "But…I think we can do just a little bit better."

Ron suddenly turned very curious, but he wouldn't have to ask what Kim meant. As Kim's hands slid around, slipping under Ron's back to nestle against his shoulder blades, her head gently lowered down towards him. Hovering just millimeters above his face, she made it all-too clear what she meant as she breathed her next words softly onto Ron's lips.

"…kiss me…"

Ron didn't need any more encouragement than that as Kim moved in. Within seconds, a pair of soft pecks passed between them, instantly flowing into a long, deep kiss. A moment later, Kim could feel Ron's arms gently folding around her. And a warm feeling of contentment began to well up inside her as they both melted into the moment, the tender pressure of their mouths locked together quickly becoming the only thing that mattered.

Kim and Ron didn't know it, though, but they weren't the only ones awake in the house. Dressed in her bathrobe and slippers, Anne had made her way down the stairs, preparing to start the day. But after being stopped short by Kim and Ron's words in the living room and overhearing everything they had just said, she just couldn't find the heart to interrupt them. So she simply turned and quietly headed back up the stairs, allowing Kim and Ron to have their moment.

Just as Anne reached the top of the stairs, the sounds of a happy giggle from Kim danced up from the living room into her ears. Had James been there at that moment, he would have surely objected. But for Anne, there could truly be no more touching sound for her to hear. Pausing to turn her head briefly, she could only respond with a warm smile towards the living room before making her way back to the bedroom.

* * *

Back on the Seniors' island, Señor Senior Senior was in the middle of tearing his living room apart in a frantic search. Señor Senior Junior had no idea what he could possibly be looking for in such a hysterical state. Of course, he would be lying if he said it mattered.

"Father, I am getting ready for my date tonight," he stated, holding up a red bow tie in one hand and a green one in the other, "Which of these ties do you think makes my neck look better?"

"Not now Junior! I am looking for last month's HenchCo. Catalogue," Senior responded firmly, tossing odds and ends out of a nearby closet. "There was one particular item I remember seeing in there. Now where did I put…? Ah!"

With a grin of accomplishment, Senior walked out of the closet, rapidly flipping through the magazine. A moment later, he came to the page he was looking for and immediately activated a small remote control which lowered down a cluster of viewing monitors down from the ceiling. A second later, the screens flickered to life, each displaying a security recording of the day before. It was the exact moment when Ron snatched Rita into his arms and kicked away Senior's falling robot, his body aglow with his Mystical Monkey Power.

"It appears that young Ron Stoppable has recently come into his own with impressive new abilities," Senior mused, his smile taking on a decidedly wicked air as he observed Ron's performance on the monitor screens before turning back to the catalogue, "Abilities that could very easily be turned to my benefit."

"Mmm hmm…mmm hmm…Were you saying something?" Junior muttered, only half-heartedly paying attention. All his focus was directed towards a tall standing mirror as he held each of his ties under his chin to try and see which one looked better.

"I am discussing a plan of villainy, my son!" Senior complained with a heavy sigh, hardly appreciating his Junior's lack of enthusiasm.

"But Father…what about Aunt Nora?" Junior replied, his attention still squarely aimed at his own reflection. "She DID say that she does not want us doing villainous things anymore. Will she not be upset when she finds out you did not listen to her?"

At that moment, Senior was given pause. In some ways, the thought of being confronted by his sister again was even more aggravating than facing Kim Possible. And facing his sister was something that would almost certainly happen if he proceeded with this course of action. But just then, inspiration struck his brain as he skipped the security footage ahead several minutes, just before Kim and the others left. As Ron reached for the rope ladder dangling from Nora's flying home, Rita had sidled up behind him, smiling bashfully and tossing stray glances in his direction. And as the scene played out, Senior found his grin returning.

"Hmmmm," he answered thoughtfully, his smile becoming even more sinister as his gaze focused squarely on Rita, "If I can acquire the proper assistance…I have a suspicion that your aunt…is not going to be an issue."


	2. Chapter 2

Kim Possible  
Far from the Tree  
Part 2  
By Aaron

It was Monday morning at the Middleton Community College campus and Ron was sitting on one of the benches nearest to the main building. The splashes of yellow, orange, red and brown in the leaves painted the unmistakable portrait of mid-autumn. But to Ron, the entire courtyard of the campus might as well have been a glorious spring day in full bloom. As he propped his head in his hand, staring out into space, a contented sigh passed his lips, which were curled into a blissful smile.

"Uh oh, I know those glazed eyes," a familiar voice sounded beside him, popping Ron out of his trance as he turned to see Zita Flores standing just a few steps away, looking at him with a sly glance and hugging a cluster of books to her chest. "That's the 'I-Had-Kim-All-To-Myself-Day' look."

"Hey, Zee," Ron responded enthusiastically, snapping to his feet as Rufus popped put of his pocket to offer a happy wave. "So…how's MCC's Computer Graphics program treating you?"

"Can't complain," Zita replied in her standard casual demeanor. "Did you ever find a program to major in though? I mean, it IS kind of the point of college, right?"

"Ah, I'm not worried about that right now," Ron answered with a laid-back shrug, "I mean, I'll think of something eventually. But for right now, I'm just sticking with the whole 'General Studies' thing…and whatever classes fit in with my essential Ron-ness."

"And if memory serves, aren't you coming dangerously close to being late for one of those classes right now, Mr. Stoppable?" a gruff voice barged in, getting Ron's attention as he whirled around to see Kevin Barkin, the Dean of MCC, looming over him with his usual dissatisfied frown. Ron was caught off guard at first, but after taking a moment to consult his watch, he immediately composed himself.

"Uh, excuse me…'dangerously close'?" he challenged. "Dude, don't I have another 15 minutes here?"

Before Barkin could argue the point, a firm tap on his right shoulder got his attention. But as he turned to the right, he saw nothing. Instinctively, he whirled back around to the left and was surprised to see none other than Maximillion standing just inches away, right in his face.

"And don't I recall saying once upon a time that looking after the well-being of the students was MY responsibility?" Max stated defiantly.

"Hey Max," Zita greeted, "And how's MCC's most popular Counselor doing?"

"Might be a little better if a certain SOME-one was doing his OWN job instead of trying to do MINE," Max answered sarcastically, locked in a stare-down with Barkin. "So…you gonna be on your way now, 'Kev'?"

Barkin clearly didn't care for Max's remarks, but he was more irritated when he turned to see Ron looking back at him with a smug grin and a fluttery wave goodbye. Even Zita looked somewhat less than impressed. But Barkin still wasn't about to let a challenge to his authority go unanswered.

"Just don't forget, some students aren't the ONLY ones I'm keeping an eye on," he muttered in Max's face.

"Yeah, well, considering how well you saw me coming just now, I wouldn't quit my day job just yet, if I were you," Max was quick to reply.

At that moment, a wide, toothy smile crossed Max's face. But the hint of smugness hiding just beneath the surface of his expression sent the message that there was absolutely nothing Barkin could say that was going to intimidate him. So Barkin simply trudged off, grumbling under his breath. Ron and Max, meanwhile, gave big mocking waves behind his back, as though Barkin were leaving on a vacation cruise, drawing an amused giggle out of Zita.

"Ah yes, I've said it before and I'll say it again," Max stated, taking a seat on the bench Ron was just sitting in. "I am going to have SO much fun with him."

"Man, where were you when I was in high school?" Ron couldn't help but blurt out.

"Don't ask," Max answered slyly, another goofy smile crossing his face.

"Well, I guess I'd better head to class," Ron conceded with a shrug, pausing to pick his books up off the bench before heading on his way. "I'll see you guys around."

"Uh…Ron?" Zita inquired with a suspicious gaze, "Who's that behind you?"

"Huh…? WHOA!!!" Ron's voice rose to a shriek as he turned around to see Señorita Rita Senior standing just millimeters away from him

"Well hello," she greeted softly, staring at Ron intently with a warm smile.

"Rita, uh…hey!" Ron added, trying to sound as polite as possible even as his eyes darted back and forth nervously in surprise. "What…what are…YOU…doing here?"

"Oh…no reason," Rita answered, rolling her eyes playfully as she sidled up closer, "I just thought that…this would be a good place to…start…exploring colleges for next term?"

"Ron…you know this girl?" Zita felt compelled to ask.

"Oh! Uh…yeah, Zita Flores? This is Señorita Rita Senior," Ron introduced, trying to put the situation just a little more at ease.

"Hello…" Rita replied quite curtly.

"Yyyyyyeah…okay…," Zita responded, clearly taken aback, as she couldn't understand what she did to warrant such a frigid response.

"So…," Rita continued, turning her attention back to Ron, "What do you think? Would you like to…show me around?"

"Well, gee, I'd really like to Rita," Ron answered innocently. "But I've got a class to get to in a few minutes. If you wanted, I'm sure Max could show you around…"

"Oh…! Well…would it be okay if I…went to…YOUR classes?" Rita asked, cutting him off. "You know, just to see what they're like?"

"Well, I…GUESS that would be okay," Ron replied with a shrug, looking more than a little confused, "I mean, I don't think anyone would have a problem with it…"

"Marvelous!" Rita declared excitedly as she hugged his arm, much to Ron's surprise. "Oh, this is…just so I…don't get lost, of course."

"Uh…oooooookaaaaaaaaaay," Ron responded, not entirely sure what was happening.

Zita and Max however, were not nearly as perplexed as Ron walked off with Rita in tow. She may have tried to hide it as best she could, but Rita clearly had a lot to learn about being coy. And as Zita and Max exchanged an uncertain glance, it was fairly obvious to both of them that Rita was NOT on campus to explore the college.

Ron, however, remained in the dark as he attended his morning classes. Although he did think it strange that no matter where he went, Rita insisted on sitting beside him. Eventually, she would walk out of the room, but every time Ron emerged from one class, she would be right there, patiently waiting for him to lead her to the next one.

This continued until it was time for Ron to break for lunch. Walking out into the corridor, he discovered that Rita was, curiously, nowhere to be found. At first, Ron was perplexed as he looked around for any sign of her, but eventually, common sense began to take over. After all, she had to be pretty bored sitting around his classes and lectures all day. It stood to reason that she would go and seek out someone who could give her a much better guided tour than he could. So with a simple shrug, he thought no more about it and continued on his way.

Little did Ron know, as he made his way out the main doors of the building, that Rita was much closer than he realized. Her head peeking out from the doorway as he walked across the courtyard, she giggled to herself as she planned to come up from behind and give him a nice little surprise. Before she could make her move, however, Ron seemed to take notice of something and flashed a wide smile as he quickened his pace towards the campus entrance.

It wasn't hard to see why, as a moment later, Kim stepped into view, tossing a warm smile of her own. A moment later, they reached each other and Kim was quick to place one hand on Ron's chest and the other behind his head as Ron's arms slipped around her waist. And Rita's jaw instantly dropped, her anticipation being swallowed up by shock as Kim and Ron leaned in, their lips meeting in a long, deep kiss. Two more soft pecks were quick to follow before they finally pulled away, pausing only to look into each other's eyes with a soft, lingering gaze before Kim took Ron's hand in hers and they walked out the campus gates.

Only when the pair vanished from sight did Rita finally snap out of her disbelief as she dashed off after them. But by the time she reached the campus gates, Kim and Ron were already nearly a block away, walking off happily as they rested their heads against each other. And as the hard reality set in, Rita's legs nearly buckled as she could only stare at them in stunned silence, watching them slowly moving ever further away.

"Excuse me, Señorita," the cold, mechanical voice of Lupo sounded as he wheeled up behind her. "Señora instructed me to locate you at the appropriate time to indulge in a mid-day meal. Is there anything in particular you wish to ingest at this time?"

But Rita was hardly in any state of mind to answer him. In fact, she didn't even hear anything he'd said as she simply stared out into space, a completely disheartened look worn across her face. In fact, it was a look that persisted long after Lupo had taken her home. Something Señora Nora Senior was quick to notice as she walked into her daughter's palatial bedroom to see her sitting on the edge of her bed, looking completely dead to the world.

"Rita? My daughter? Is something wrong?" Nora asked pensively as she walked into the room. "Did…something happen at the college this morning?"

"No," Rita answered with a heavy sigh as she flopped down onto her bed. Little did Nora know, the fact that nothing happened was precisely the problem for Rita.

"I just…I just feel so foolish right now," Rita added sorrowfully.

"Now Rita, it's very easy to feel intimidated in this situation. But you mustn't let yourself become discouraged," Nora remarked soothingly, still unaware of the exact nature of Rita's problem as she sat on the edge of her bed and ran her fingers through her hair. "I have always had boundless faith in you, Rita. You are intelligent, beautiful. And most of all, you must remember, you are a Senior. There is absolutely nothing you cannot accomplish if you simply put your mind to it and work hard at it. You have proven it time and time again."

At that moment, Rita lifted her head and looked up toward her mother. And a moment later, her face changed. No longer looking lost and despaired, a tiny glimmer of hope now seemed to sparkle from behind her eyes.

"Thank you, mother," she sighed, hugging Nora tightly around her neck, "Okay, I think I'm ready. As of right now, I refuse to be stopped by ANYTHING."

* * *

The next day was pretty much business as usual as Ron was walking through the MCC corridors to his next class. He pretty much had the schedule for a normal day already mapped out in his head and was looking forward to it, eagerly. Little did he know that Rita was peering at him from a nearby corner, about to make the day ANYTHING but normal. To say nothing of the phone call that rang from his cell phone at that exact moment.

"Hello?" Ron inquired, answering the phone as Rita listened intently from around the corner. "Oh, hey, KP!"

"Hey Ron, listen," Kim replied, sitting in her university library and sounding a little uneasy as she spoke into the Kimmunicator. "I really hate to say this, but…I'm going to have to flake on lunch today. I just got a major paper I have to start on and I'm going to have to stay behind for a couple of hours to get some research done on it."

"Well…that's…okay," Ron responded, caught off-guard but still being supportive as Rita continued to listen in, "Hey, no…don't worry about it. I mean, we saw this coming, right? Just…do what you gotta do."

"Oh, you are the absolute BEST," Kim sighed warmly. "I promise, I will TOTALLY make it up to you later today, alright?"

"Well, if by 'make UP', you mean, 'make OUT', I'm pretty sure you already did that last night," Ron joked slyly, drawing a lighthearted giggle from Kim which instantly made her feel better.

"Okay, I've got to go now," she concluded, the amused lilt in her voice becoming more affectionate, "Hey…love you."

"Love you, too," Ron answered back before hanging up the phone and looking down towards Rufus with a shrug, "Well, buddy, looks like it's just you and me for lunch today."

Rufus could only whimper in response. It just didn't feel the same without having Kim around. Still, if she had things to do, there really wasn't anything either one of them could do about it. After all, this was par for the course when it came to Kim and Ron taking different academic paths. And they all knew it.

Just then, Ron felt a gentle tap on his shoulder. Instantly he turned around, only to jump back with a yelp as Rita was standing behind him, her face just millimeters away from his. As surprised as Ron was to see her again, it also seemed quite apparent that Rita had a lot to learn about the concept of "personal space".

"Uh, Rita!" Ron blurted out nervously, "How's it…going? You…kind of disappeared yesterday."

"Oh, that. I had to leave on a…personal matter," Rita answered, rolling her eyes thoughtfully as she tried to come up with an acceptable excuse, "But let's not worry about that. I was wondering…that is, if you have no plans…could I maybe…cook you something for lunch? You know…just to say thank you…for…showing me around yesterday?"

"Well, I don't…REALLY…have any plans…," Ron replied, unsure as to what exactly his proper answer should be as Rufus looked up at Rita with a deeply suspicious glance.

"Perfect!" Rita exclaimed, prancing off down the hall before Ron could say anything more, "Meet me in the Food Court at one o'clock! I promise you will not regret it!"

And with that, Rita was gone, leaving Ron standing dumbfounded in the hallway. All he could do at that moment was wonder what exactly had just happened.

* * *

"Whoa…"

That was all Ron could say as he gazed in awe, along with every other patron of the MCC Food Court, at the grand scale of the banquet Rita had prepared. Spread across three long tables, it looked more like a meal fit for royalty than a typical college lunch. Even Rufus, stunned by the sight, had forgotten his earlier suspicions and was eagerly licking his chops in anticipation.

"You made all this yourself?" Ron couldn't help but ask as Rita simply smiled, quite satisfied with his reaction.

"Oh, it's nothing special," she replied modestly, "Part of my high school curriculum was culinary studies. I was top of my class, three years in a row. Well, help yourself."

Without a second thought, Ron jumped into the nearest seat and began to dig in, with Rufus following suit. No doubt about it, each dish they indulged in tasted every bit as delicious as it looked. And Rufus, who scampered from plate to plate to try every morsel he could, was thoroughly enjoying the experience. Until he chanced to look over in Rita's direction to see her flashing a disgusted glance towards him, to which he instantly took offence. But Ron had failed to notice Rufus' sudden unease, simply being far too lost in the feast before him. He didn't even notice Rita as she sat down and slid over beside him.

"Do you like it?" she cooed softly.

"It's great!" Ron replied, although his words were heavily muffled with mouthfuls of food, "You're really good at this!"

"I'm so glad…," Rita murmured, her voice gentle and seductive as she looked at Ron with an affectionate gaze. At that moment, it didn't matter that Ron was paying more attention to the food than to her. She saw an opening and she intended to walk through it.

Of course, Rita's intentions were not lost on certain others who happened to be watching. Peering from behind a nearby pot, Rufus observed Rita's expression and whimpered with concern. Meanwhile, a few tables away, Zita looked on as well, with a suspicious glint in her eyes. If she wasn't sure about what Rita was trying to do before, she certainly was now.

* * *

A few hours later, Ron's classes were done. With his lunch experience little more than a happy memory in the back of his mind, he was already looking forward to meeting up with Kim as he headed out of the main building and strolled off campus. And as a happy smile crossed his face, it seemed as though he didn't have a single care in the world.

Rufus, however, was nowhere near as upbeat as his head darted back and forth, uttering a tiny whine every so often. Ron wouldn't have seen what there was to be so worked up about, but as it turned out, Rufus was quite right to be vigilant. For at that moment, Ron had not made it even halfway across the courtyard, when a soft, delicate voice sounded behind him, sending chills down Rufus' spine.

"Well, hello…"

Instantly, Ron turned around and sure enough. Standing behind him, just a few short paces away was Rita, looking into his eyes with a shy smile. Of course, Ron didn't see any possible danger in Rita's presence, but Rufus was already tugging on his pant leg, whimpering and chirping as if to try and say, "Red Alert! RED ALERT!!".

"Oh, hey, Rita," Ron replied friendly enough, "Getting a chance to see more of the campus, today?"

"Oh, let's not waste time talking about academics right now," Rita answered, sliding around to stand between Ron and the campus gates as she stared at him with a warm gaze, "I was just wondering…since we're getting to know each other so well…there happens to be a…little place I know…"

"Well gee, Rita…," Ron responded, rubbing the back of his head as he struggled to come up with the most polite answer he could. "I mean, I kinda have plans right now and…"

"Oh, I'm sure whatever you have to do can't possibly be all that important," Rita's voice lowered to a velvety purr as she took a few steps closer, her face hovering just inches away from Ron's, "Right?"

"Uhhhhhhh, Ri…Rita…?" Ron shuddered nervously, leaning back slightly as Rita's face continued to inch towards him.

"Yeessss?" Rita breathed, her eyes becoming softer as her lips pouted forward.

At that moment, Rufus was already clinging Ron's shirt sleeve, tugging away and chattering wildly at the danger. But Ron seemed almost paralyzed, lost in a wave of nervousness and confusion as Rita inched ever closer, her lips floating just millimeters away from his. Just then, out of the corner of Ron's eye, he chanced to notice the sunlight reflecting off the hood of Kim's car. It was just barely peeking out from behind the wall of the campus, but for Ron, it was like a beacon of light leading him out of his inner storm.

"Oh…KP!" he announced, almost a wave of relief coming over him, "Uh, sorry, Rita, but my ride's here now!"

"But…w-wait!" Rita called after him as Ron darted around her and headed for the campus gates at top speed.

"Look, I'm sorry, Rita, but I really, reallyreallyREEEEEAALLY have to go!" Ron called back trying to sound polite in spite of the fact that all he wanted to do was get out of there. "I'm sorry! I'll see you, okay?! Bye!"

Before Rita could say anything, Ron was dashing out the campus gates. And he couldn't get into Kim's car fast enough as a feeling of security began to well up inside him once he closed the door. Still, his mind was still racing with thoughts of his narrow escape as he and Rufus sat trembling in the passenger seat. In fact, Ron was so tense that he barely noticed Kim lean over and softly kiss his cheek.

"Hey," she greeted softly, although her mood instantly changed as she looked to see Ron almost white as a sheet. "Ron…are you okay?"

"…I don't know…," Ron uttered worriedly.

At that moment, Kim couldn't help but become concerned herself. It had been quite a while since she had seen Ron in this state of mind. Thinking only of getting Ron to more comfortable surroundings, Kim put the car in gear and took off. She didn't even notice as she drove away, Rita standing just outside the campus gates, glaring in anger as they headed down the street.

One person who did notice, however, was Maximillion. Leaning against the door of the main building, he had only caught the final moments of what had happened and looked on with a serious gaze as Rita stormed off. And from all his previous experiences and memories, there was only one thing Max knew for sure. Whatever happened next, chances are…it wasn't going to be good.

But just then, Max's attention was diverted as his eyes shifted just slightly down the corridor behind him. Peering out from around a nearby corner was none other than Kevin Barkin. Apparently, Max's little challenge from yesterday had spurred MCC's Dean on a mission to prove him wrong. And as soon as he noticed him, Max couldn't help but smile in amusement.

* * *

Almost an hour went by, and still, neither one of them moved an inch. I fact, Barkin was completely astounded by the fact that Max hadn't so much as twitched in all that time. At that moment, an uneasy feeling crept down his spine. Something didn't feel right.

Deciding to throw caution to the wind, Barkin stealthily crept down the hall, making his way ever closer towards Max, who was still leaning against the open doorway. Eventually, he'd made his way close enough that he could reach out and grab Max's shoulder. But no sooner did he do so, than an alarm went off inside Barkin's head. Instead of soft flesh, what he felt instead was hard and rigid.

Whirling around, Barkin was stunned to discover that the person he thought was Max was not even human at all, but a plaster mannequin wearing clothes identical to the ones Max was wearing. At first, all Barkin could do was shift his head in all directions, looking for some sign that Max was still there. After all, how could he have possibly pulled off such a switch? Except for blinking, Barkin had his eyes on Max the entire time. But just then, Barkin's attention was focused elsewhere as he noticed a small note pinned to the mannequin's chest, which he immediately snatched off and read…

HOW LONG WAS IT BEFORE YOU FINALLY CHECKED? BE HONEST.

M.

P.S.

DON'T GIVE UP NOW. YOU'RE ALMOST IMPROVING.

Upon reading Max's words, Barkin could feel his teeth almost grinding until they cracked. And as his eyes turned red, he couldn't help but growl in anger as he crushed the note in his hand.

* * *

The next day had already come and gone for Kim, who was back from the university and walking down to Bueno Nacho to meet Ron for lunch. For Kim, it was just a normal day, with no reason to suspect that anything going on in her life might be wrong. But a familiar voice sounding off behind her was about to seriously alter that perception.

"Kim!" Zita called, getting Kim's attention as she turned to see both her and Max running up to her. "Listen, can we talk to you for a second? There's something I think you should know."

"Sure Zita. What's up?" Kim replied curiously, offering up a mild shrug.

Meanwhile, the day for Ron began without any real incident, which to him, was a welcome relief. After his close call with Rita after his classes the day before, he was beginning to think that her face was the last thing he wanted to see. Luckily, he had a lunch date with Kim at Bueno Nacho to look forward to. Kim had called him earlier to say she'd be a little late, but it didn't stop him and Rufus from staking a claim at their usual booth and waiting for her. Besides, the familiar sights and smells of the place helped to put his mind more at ease.

Just then, he felt someone sit down in the booth right beside him. A second later, a soft kiss fluttered past his cheek. Of course, as he noticed a lock of red hair flash past the corner of his eye, Ron felt little reason to be concerned as his lips curled in a warm smile. But as he and Rufus turned around, his loving gaze was about to be replaced with a wide-eyed look of pure, unremitting horror.

"Well, so much for being late, huh…? AAAAAAAAH!"

* * *

"I was afraid of this," Kim sighed as she continued walking down the block with Zita and Max. "See, Ron kind of…saved her life on a mission a few days ago. So I…guess she's…kind of…crushing on him a little."

"'Crushing'…? 'A LITTLE'…?" Zita remarked, having seen a lot more in the last two days than Kim had, "Uh…I don't think you're getting that lucky."

"Well…it's not like I'm worried about it. I trust Ron, Zita," Kim answered with a shrug, then following up with a hollow giggle. "Besides, it's not like he's had the best track record at picking up on these things. Somehow I get the feeling that Rita's not going to get her message across much better."

"I don't know," Zita replied, shaking her head with a concerned gaze. "She seems pretty persistent to me."

"Trust me, Zita, it's no big," Kim stated dismissively as they reached the doors of Bueno Nacho, "Mark my words. In a couple of days this whole this is going to be…"

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Ron screamed as he burst through the doors in a mad dash down the street, with Rufus just barely hanging onto the sleeve of his shirt.

"Wait for me, my love!" Rita called out as she pranced after him. But what really got Kim's attention was the fact that Rita was not only wearing clothes identical to her own, but a wig in the exact shape of Kim's hairstyle.

"IIIII'm sorry, Zita, you were saying?" Kim noted dryly, still not completely sure what to make of what she had just seen.

"GET ME AWAY FROM YOOOOUUUUUUU!!!" Ron shrieked in panic, not slowing down for even an instant as Rita continued to give chase down the block.

"Hm…I think his perception's improving, don't you?" Max remarked with a goofy smile.

Kim, however, saw very little humor in what was happening at that moment. As a stern frown crossed her face, there was only one thing she knew at that moment. This sitch had already gone WAY too far.

* * *

The chase had already gone on for several blocks, with Ron desperately trying to outrun Rita. But although he was managing to keep a fair distance between them, he had yet to lose her. It was almost like she was possessed, not about to let him get away, no matter what.

Just then, as Ron reached the corner of the next block, Kim's car pulled up to the curb. And in that instant, Ron's face instantly transformed into a wide smile of relief. He couldn't imagine a more beautiful sight. That is, until he saw the driver's side door open and Kim emerged from inside, vaulting over the hood to meet him.

"Ron!" she called.

"Kim!" Ron exclaimed as he reached her, whirling around behind her and hoping she could shield him from Rita's sight. "KP, I swear! I did absolutely NOTHING to encourage this!"

"Yeah, I kind of figured," Kim replied. "The terrified screams really sold it."

"You again!" Rita shouted angrily as she ran up, showing no fear whatsoever of getting in Kim's face. "Why do you insist on interfering?! This is between the two of us, not you!"

"Okay, you have absolutely NO idea what you're talking about, do you?" Kim replied, not impressed in the least by Rita's show of defiance.

"Ki-i-i-i-i-im…," Ron shuddered as he and Rufus clung to Kim's shoulder for protection. A sight that was not lost on Rita as her eyes went wide in disbelief.

"You…you really want her?" she uttered, almost under her breath.

"Wellll…" Ron groaned, unsure as to what exactly the right kind of response should be. But as he turned and looked into Kim's eyes, he hardly needed to. The expression on his face was all the answer he needed to give.

"But…but why?" Rita whimpered, her eyes filled with confusion, "I…I could do anything for you…BE anything for you. Don't you see? Whatever you wanted, I could get it. All you'd have to do is ask. I don't understand…you could have it all. Why…why would you choose her?"

Again, Ron paused as he turned and looked deeply into Kim's eyes. And for the both of them, the answer was so obvious. But as Ron turned his head back to Rita, there was a confused look on his face as well. It was as though he couldn't see what she found so hard to figure out.

"Be…cause I LOVE her," he answered simply, shrugging his shoulders. "Do I really need another reason?"

At that moment, Rita's heart absolutely sank. For a moment, she seemed paralyzed as she stood looking at Ron, her eyes welling up and her bottom lip trembling. But just then, she whirled around and ran off down the block, crying into her wig after tearing it off her head.

"Rita, wait!" Ron called out as he started after her.

"Ron…don't," Kim interrupted, placing her hand gently on Ron's shoulder and shaking her head.

"Aw, man," Ron sighed, turning back to Kim, "Kim…I didn't want to HURT her. I just…"

"It's okay. I know you didn't," Kim replied solemnly as she put her arms around Ron and gently hugged him close, "It's just…trust me. There was absolutely nothing you could have said that was going to make her feel better. She's…just going to have to work this out for herself."

There didn't seem to be anything more either of them could do. But with a soft kiss on Ron's cheek, Kim got his attention. And they found each others' gaze, a tender peck on the lips and another warm hug were quick to follow before Kim led Ron back to her car.

Meanwhile, several blocks away, Rita sat huddled at the base of a large tree, still choking and sobbing bitterly. In her entire life, she could never recall feeling as sad and lost as she did at that moment. Just then, her teary eyes got a glimpse of a shadow looming towards her and she shifted her gaze towards a pair of shoes and an all-too familiar cane. Her eyes then lifted upwards to see an instantly recognizable face.

"Oh, my poor Rita," Señor Senior Senior pined, his hand clutching his heart, "I saw everything that just happened. Ah, to lose one's first love…truly a tragedy. Especially for someone such as yourself, with so many far superior qualities."

"U…Uncle Senior?" Rita sniffled, drying her eyes on her shirt sleeve as Senior leaned down and reached his hand out to her.

"Rita, my dear niece," Senior coaxed in hushed tones. "What would you say if I told you that I knew of a way to get you exactly what you want?"

"R…r-really…?" Rita whined, her breathing slowly returning to normal.

Senior simply responded with a nod and a kind grin. Feeling a sense of hope returning, Rita managed to form a weak smile across her face as she reached up and took Senior's hand…

* * *

"Really, I simply cannot tell you how sorry I am that this happened," Señora Nora Senior stated, talking to Kim and Ron through the view screen in Kim's car. "I should have known something wasn't right when she kept insisting on going back to that school."

"Hey, don't worry about it," Kim replied, trying her best to be civil about the whole thing. "It's just, well…let's just say, your daughter's got a LOT to learn when it comes to dating."

"I blame myself," Nora sighed heavily. "I pushed so hard for her to have a proper education and she did so well. But when it came to more…sociable aspects…I'm afraid I was more lax in those particular areas. I promise, I'll talk to her when she returns home. In the meantime, I hope you can forgive her."

"Trust me, if you can just get her under control, we'll get along fine," Kim answered before signing off and turning her attention to Ron a few moments later.

"So…your first time having a girl obsess over you. Did it turn out like you thought it would?" she asked, trying to make a joke out of it.

"Well, actually, that was kinda the SECOND time," Ron replied, "I mean, there WAS that time with you and Shego and those Mood-U-wachamacallit…chip…thingies…you know?"

"Was I REALLY that bad?" Kim had to ask, feeling slightly embarrassed as her mind drifted back, "I mean, I remember a COUPLE of things, but a lot of it was, well…kind of a blur."

"Well, you know, I kinda…thought it was better to…you know, leave it alone," Ron answered uneasily. "So I just…never brought it up too much."

"Yeah…," Kim trailed off, feeling a little uneasy with the whole subject herself. But a moment later, she parked in front of Ron's house. And with a free moment to let her mind wander, she found herself turning towards Ron with a warm smile.

"But you know…for what it's worth…I…DO remember that kiss," she added, rolling her eyes playfully before her voice faded to a soft purr. "And…I seem to recall that…it was actually kind of nice."

"Well…maybe a LITTLE bit…," Ron agreed, flashing an affectionate grin of his own as Kim snuggled against his cheek before getting out of the car.

"So Ron, just for the record," Kim wondered as they walked up to Ron's house, "If you HAD gone after Rita before…you weren't going to give her some line about 'just being friends', were you?"

"Uuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhh," Ron uttered, his eyes darting back and forth nervously. "Noooooooooooooooooooooo."

Of course, that was all the answer Kim needed, even if it was the one she wasn't hoping for. Still, even as she shook her head with a sigh, she couldn't resist tossing an amused smirk in Ron's direction before leaning in and softly kissing his cheek.

"Oh, Baby, I love you more than life itself. But you have got SO much to learn about girls," she remarked, briefly leaning her head on Ron's shoulder and hugging his arm as they paused at the front step.

A moment later, Ron reached for the door and walked inside with Kim right behind him. But no sooner had they taken two steps than they both turned around. And their eyes went wide at the all-too familiar face standing in front of them, glaring angrily.

"Rita?!" Kim blurted out, unsure of what exactly was going on.

"LUPO!!!" Rita shouted furiously.

"Yes, Señorita," Lupo replied straightforwardly, opening a small compartment in his chest and blasting Kim and Ron in the face with a potent cloud of knockout gas before either one had a chance to react.

Kim and Ron coughed and sputtered briefly, but it was only seconds before they both succumbed and crumpled to the floor in a heap. And as they both lay sprawled out unconscious, Señor Senior Senior walked into the front door, standing over them with a triumphant grin across his face. Even Rita flashed an evil smirk at that moment, although Lupo maintained his usual rigid demeanor. But just then, a soft red light began to flash from the top button of Lupo's shirt.

* * *

The next thing Kim remembered, she was being woken up by Rufus as he whimpered and pressed his paws against her cheek, trying to stir her. Instinctively, her first thought was how long she had been out. But such questions became irrelevant once she realized that she was alone in the house. Rita was gone, and Ron had disappeared along with her. Rufus, however, had been abandoned, clearly because Rita had no interest in bringing him along.

But that wasn't the only thing Rita had chosen to leave behind. As Kim sat up with a groan and tried to get her bearings, Rufus walked over to her, holding a glittering object in his paws. It was half of the heart-shaped pendant with the twin necklaces that Ron had bought for he and Kim to share…Ron's half. Since he'd given it to Kim, neither one of them had ever taken theirs off. But now Rufus had found it lying on floor, just…tossed aside like a piece of garbage. And as Kim squeezed the shimmering keepsake tightly in her hand, she could feel an uncontrollable wave of rage washing over her.

"Okay…I was GOING to be a good sport about this," she hissed under her breath, her nostrils flaring wildly, "But if THAT'S the way you want to play it…FINE!"

"As of right now…IT-IS-ON!!"


	3. Chapter 3

Kim Possible  
Far from the Tree  
Part 3  
By Aaron

"Make it count, Wade, I'm not kidding!" Kim demanded as she walked to her car, the rage still lingering in her voice even after having taken the time to go home and change into her mission gear.

"I don't know what to tell you," Wade replied, through the Kimmunicator, sounding quite perplexed as he ran his battery of scans. "No flight trajectories, no radar, nothing. It's like she just vanished off the face of the earth."

"Oooooooooh no," Kim shuddered angrily. "That little brat is DREAMING if she thinks she's getting away with this!"

"Aw, and they say daytime talk shows are dead," Max commented jokingly, dressed in his own mission outfit as he attempted to console a worried Rufus with soft pats.

"Keep it up, buster, and pretty soon it won't be my lips doing the talking," Kim menaced through her teeth, holding a tightly clenched fist in Max's direction.

"I deserved that. I just wanted to be part of the conversation," Max replied casually, despite his goofy smile.

"Uh-oh," Wade chimed in, instantly noticing something on his screens.

"Wade, in case you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly in an 'Uh-Oh' kind of mood right now," Kim sternly remarked.

"Sorry, but something just came up," Wade responded. "It looks like a satellite has just been launched from Señor Senior Senior's island, and it's heading into orbit. But I can't determine what it's for."

"Oh, great! Like I've got time for this!" Kim complained, slapping her forehead. "How am I supposed to be in two places at once?!"

"Uh, hello…standing right here, you know," Max announced with a fluttery wave, "I'm…pretty sure I can help with SOME-thing."

"Oh right, like you're going to just fly up into space with no rocket and no space suit and…!" Kim cut herself off, hanging her head with a sigh once she realized that she'd forgotten who she was talking to. "Oh, just go."

Max simply smirked in response as he placed Rufus on the ground. A moment later, a huge could of glittering smoke swirled around his body before suddenly bursting into the sky, the smoke forming a trail behind him like rocket exhaust.

"Well, that gives HIM something to do," Kim stated, with Rufus scampering up to her shoulder as Max disappeared. "As for us, we're going after Senior."

"Why, you think Senior and Rita are somehow in on this together?" Wade asked.

"I don't think it's a coincidence that Senior is planning something just when his niece decided to treat my boyfriend like a hunting trophy," Kim replied with an angry scowl. "First stop…Senior's island."

* * *

What Kim didn't know was that while Senior was indeed in cahoots with Rita and that they were indeed on an island. However, this particular island was not actually his. In fact, the island in question was located several hundred miles away, on which sat another structure that was charitably referred to as Rita's playhouse. Charitably, because the entire building was every bit as large and extravagant as Senior's own home.

"Oh, this is very good, Rita," Senior commented from inside a large, metal-plated chamber. "This is the perfect hideaway for us to continue our plans. I must admit that without your valued assistance, this venture could not have succeeded."

"Believe me, Uncle, it was my pleasure. Anything to keep my darling by my side," Rita replied, her voice lowering to a soft coo as she snuggled against the cheek of a still-unconscious Ron, who was strapped to a chair with heavy metal restraints. And yet, it was not Ron's bindings that Rita found unusual as she looked up, her eyes taking on a curious gaze.

"Uh, Uncle…what is that metal band around his head?"

"Ah yes, the…the band," Senior responded, his eyes darting back and forth as he tried to think of a way to explain the strip of metal around Ron's head, which was connected to a nearby computer terminal. "Why…that is second part of my plan…for you, of course."

"Is it a special love band that will make him love only me and not that…'Kim' girl?" Rita asked excitedly, even as she noted Kim's name with some contempt.

"Well…," Senior began to reply.

"Excellent!" Rita gloated, not giving Senior a chance to offer a proper answer. "With my lovely little hideaway here, concealed from the world, there will be no one to violate our privacy. And soon, he will be mine! ALL MINE!!"

At that moment, Rita reared back and unleashed a shriek of laughter that echoed throughout the room. But this was no laugh of joy or amusement. Instead, there was pure malevolence in her wild cackle. Indeed, wickedness that Senior found himself completely unprepared for as he clutched his heart in surprise.

"Rita…such a villainous laugh I have not heard," he uttered under his breath before his faced lightened with a grin that indicated he was actually impressed. "Clearly, you are a young woman of many hidden natural talents."

Rita simply responded with a shy giggle, too lost in her own bliss to notice that Senior was actually commenting on her potential for evil. But before she could get a moment to gather her thoughts, Senior was already ushering her out the door.

"Now, my dear, if you would excuse me, I am going to require some privacy," he stated soothingly. "This is a very delicate procedure and I cannot be disturbed."

Rita had gone along with Senior too long at this point to doubt his word now. As Senior closed the door behind her, all she could do was giggle in anticipation as she skipped off down the hall. Little did she know that back in the room, as Senior turned his attention back to Ron, his lips curled into a wicked smile.

* * *

On the Seniors' island, the day continued on calmly enough, as Junior had the house all to himself. What better time than now to see which shirt would look best for his upcoming date with Bonnie? This date promised to be informal, but still, which T-shirt best suited him? Golden or golden yellow, golden or golden yellow? As he held each shirt out in front of him, gazing into the standing mirror, he just couldn't seem to make up his mind.

But proper color coordination was about to become the least of his problems. A moment later, Kim burst into the living room, knocking the door down with a flying kick. And a shocked Junior could only let out a piercing shriek as he daintily held up the shirts to cover his bare chest.

"Is it too much to ask that you knock?!" he yelped in surprise.

"Where's…Senior?" Kim asked sternly, clearly not in the mood for Junior's personality defects.

"Who, Father? How should I know?" Junior replied, the confused look on his face indicating that he had no idea what the sudden urgency was. "He left this morning. I have not seen him all day."

"You expect me to believe that you know nothing about this latest scheme of his?" Kim responded cynically, "And I suppose you didn't hear anything when he launched that satellite from here, either, right?"

"Oh is THAT what that was? I thought perhaps our indoor mountain had avalanched again," Junior half-heartedly thought out loud before turning his attention back to Kim. "Wait, as long as you are here, tell me…which shirt do you think goes better?"

Never mind the fact that Junior expected an answer to his question. Kim couldn't believe that he had even gone and asked it! She could only roll her eyes and turn away with a groan before turning her attention to the Kimmunicator.

"Wade, it's a dead end. Senior's not here," she reported, her expression beginning to change from angry to worried. "Please tell me you found SOME-thing."

"Sorry, Kim, I've tried everything I can think of," Wade replied with a shrug. "If Rita took Ron somewhere, there's just no indication of where it is."

Just then, Kim heard a firm tap behind her, almost like a cane striking the floor. Feeling her eye twitch at the sound, she whirled around furiously, preparing herself for anything.

* * *

Back at Rita's island getaway, in her enormous private gymnasium, Rita was still on pins and needles as she felt certain that Senior was going to come through on his promise to make Ron hers. Just thinking about it made her barely able to sit still. Eventually, it reached a point where all she could think of to do was pick a flower from one of her dozens of gardens, gently plucking the petals.

"He loves me…He loves me not… He loves me…He loves me not…," she murmured over and over as each petal delicately floated to the floor at her feet. Eventually, she reached for the last petal and her smile grew in anticipation as she tugged eagerly.

"He loves me…"

"…SO-NOT!!" an angry voice chimed in behind her and Rita's eyes went wide as she whirled around to see Kim standing firmly in the doorway, her fists clenched tightly and her face twisted in a wild-eyed glare.

"No…no it can't be!" she exclaimed in shock. "How could you have found this place…?! And the security system in place…?! It simply is not…!"

Just then, Rita froze in her tracks, her jaw hanging open in disbelief. It couldn't be, it just couldn't be! But there was no mistaking it. Even Senior, who was still in the other room with Ron, could only stare in disbelief as the security footage showed him what was happening. Walking into the doorway behind Kim, a stern frown across her face, was none other than Señora Nora Senior herself.

"I am VERY disappointed in you, Rita," Nora remarked bitterly. "Have you forgotten who had all this BUILT for you?"

"M…M-Mother? She…?" Rita stammered, unable to overcome her alarm until she finally was able to shake the cobwebs out of her head. "You…you took HER word…over your own DAUGHTER…?"

"You misunderstand, Rita," Nora replied, "I came to HER. I've already been well aware of what you've been up to."

"But…but how…?" Rita blurted out in confusion, until she heard the squeak of wheels and slowly turned her head to see an unmistakable figure.

"L…L-Lupo…?" she uttered in even further surprise. It was only then that she noticed the soft red light slowly flashing from the top button of Lupo's shirt.

"Lupo did just as he was programmed to do, Rita. He followed your orders without question," Nora explained. "What you DIDN'T know is that Lupo is ALSO programmed with certain safeguards…particularly a tracking signal that activates whenever someone gives him instructions that violate my rules…"

"…like YOU did."

"Forgive me, Señora," Lupo announced straightforwardly as he wheeled himself towards Nora. "I WAS given my orders."

"You have nothing to apologize for, Lupo. You did nothing wrong," Nora replied before turning her frown back towards Rita. "Right now, I am reserving my anger for my foolish daughter."

"So…w-what…are you going to do?" Rita asked with a whining shudder, fully anticipating nothing but trouble on the horizon.

"I?" Nora replied simply. "I…am going to do…"

"…nothing."

"W…w-what…?" Rita uttered, her eyes blinking wide in confusion.

"I have no NEED to do anything," Nora explained before turning her attention to Kim, who needed every bit of self-control to hold herself back as she continued to glare at Rita, her entire body one tense muscle, "Because I strongly suspect…that whatever SHE is about to do to you…will be MORE than punishment enough."

"As for me," Nora concluded, her voice turning cold and hard through gritted teeth as she strolled to a nearby door, "I believe the time has come to have a private conversation with my 'dear' brother."

With that, Nora was gone, leaving Rita alone to face off with an enraged Kim and an equally angry Rufus, who was jumping up and down on her shoulder, growling and chattering furiously. Rita, however, appeared considerably more comfortable with the situation now that her mother was gone, being more afraid of her than of Kim. But Kim was determined to change all that.

"I wouldn't challenge me here, if I were you," Rita declared, the confidence in her voice slowly beginning to return. "After all, every inch of this house is MINE. There isn't a single inch I do not know by heart."

"Yeah? Well let me tell you something I know by heart," Kim answered in a grim tone. "When you mess with the man I love, you mess with me. But when you try to STEAL the man I love…"

"…ALL…BETS…ARE OFF!"

Now was long past the time for words as Kim charged down the steps with a clenched fist at the ready as Rufus hopped to the floor. Rita, however, maintained her calm air, performing a long backflip and avoiding Kim as she lashed out. And after landing on her feet, Rita used the momentum to jump high into the air, catching the gymnastics rings that hung from the ceiling right over her head. A surprising move, to be sure. But not one that Kim was going to let unnerve her for even a second. And now it was Rita's turn for a surprise as Kim fired her grapple into the ceiling, swinging up after her.

Before Rita could react, Kim was on her, scissoring her legs around her wrists and wrenching her hands off the rings before tossing her to the ground. But Rita still had a few tricks left as she rolled in mid-air, landing on her feet and performing another pair of back handflips before regaining her balance. She then merely lifted her arms, like a gymnast at the end of a routine, before sweeping her hair back with an air of confidence.

"Please. I was a competitive gymnastics champion, three years in a row. You're going to have to do MUCH better than THAT if you want to…OOF!" Rita's arrogant boasts were cut off as Kim swung down from the ceiling, driving her feet into Rita's chest and sending her bouncing along the floor before finally rolling to a stop, lying face down.

"You're assuming that I CAN'T!" Kim shouted back, her rage still boiling inside her.

Rita seemed only able to groan as she struggled to her feet, nursing her battered chest. But she wasn't going to get the opportunity to rest as she slowly raised her head to see Kim charging at full speed towards her. The last thing Rita saw was Kim leaping into the air for a flying roundhouse kick, the heel of her foot flashing past Rita's eyes.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the other room, Senior was working feverishly on the computer, while Ron remained slumped in the chair. The metal band around his head was keeping Ron unconscious, but that was the least of Senior's worries at that moment. When Rita had taken him to such a remote location, the last thing he expected was for Kim Possible to find him so quickly…AND with his sister, no less. He had to work faster and make up for time he no longer had if his plan had even the slightest hope of succeeding.

Just then, he heard sounds coming from beyond the sealed door. Within seconds, the lock was cracked and the door swung open. And a moment later, Lupo wheeled into the room along with Nora, who flashed a fearsome glare in Senior's direction.

"Was it not enough you ruined your OWN child?!" Nora shouted furiously, "You had to come for MINE?!"

"Ah, Nora, my poor, naïve sister…Perhaps you do not understand your sweet, angelic daughter, as well as you THINK you do," Senior replied with an amused chuckle. "Oh, yes, your lovely Rita has quite the dark pit of unspeakable evil in her heart. One you never knew was there. Or perhaps you simply chose not to look."

"Never…," Nora hissed through her teeth. "I will not accept that…"

"Oh, I am afraid it is quite true," Senior continued to taunt, "In fact, when I suggested this course of action, even I was surprised at how little effort it took to persuade her. But, having said that, I must also confess…"

"…I did have a slightly different motive in mind than the one she'd intended."

Before Nora could wonder what he meant, Senior pressed an activation button on the computer terminal, causing a metal wall panel to slide back and reveal a window looking out over a second empty room. A moment later, two large doors raised open, revealing rows of silhouettes inside. And as the figures began to march out, single file, Nora could only gasp in surprise.

* * *

"Uuuuunnnnhh...Let…me…GO!" Rita shouted as she pounded the floor with her fist.

The image itself told the story as Kim had Rita pinned to the floor on her front with a painful arm bar, while Rufus hopped around Rita's face, acting like a referee. Rita's mussed hair and clothes were also a clear indication that her so-called fight with Kim had really not been much of a fight at all. Kim, meanwhile, could only look down at Rita with a slightly amused grin as she firmly held her down. For hours, all she could think of was how much she wanted to just tear Rita apart. But once it became painfully clear that Rita was utterly no match for her, after a few moments, the entire exercise simply became rather…pathetic.

"What's the magic wor-rd?" Kim replied teasingly, applying more pressure to Rita's arm to force her answer.

"Uunh…hnnnnhh…please…" Rita finally whimpered under her breath after a few more seconds of torture.

"Say pretty please with sugar on it," Kim taunted once more, refusing to let go.

"What?! NEV-AAAAAAHHH!" Rita's insolence was cut off as Kim reapplied the pressure on her arm, causing her to cry out.

Rufus couldn't help but burst out laughing, rolling around on the floor at the sight. And as Rita continued to beat the ground with her fist, groaning in pain, Kim's amused smile grew slightly larger. Still, after a few more seconds, even Kim had to admit to herself that enough was enough.

"Oh, I'm being silly," she sighed, finally loosening her grip. "Okay…"

With that, Kim released Rita's hand and got up off of her. But as Kim walked away casually, she couldn't help but sweep her hair back in the same swaggering way that Rita had demonstrated not long before, almost as if to show that she'd proven her point. Rita, meanwhile, needed a few moments of nursing her twisted arm before the pain finally subsided. But when she finally turned back to Kim, her face still held a look of angry defiance.

"You think this means you've won, don't you?" she declared as she rose to her feet, her words stopping Kim in her tracks. "Well, this doesn't prove anything! Think about it! There isn't a single thing in the world that I couldn't provide for him! With me, he could have anything he could possibly want. So be honest with yourself…what could you EVER hope to offer him compared to that?!"

At first, Kim didn't respond as she simply closed her eyes and hung her head. But it was only for the briefest of moments before she stood tall and alert once again, walking back to Rita and getting right in her face.

"Did you actually LISTEN to a single word you just said?" she responded, looking straight into Rita's eyes with a deathly serious gaze that also seemed to hold a slight twinge of pity. "Let me tell you something. If you can honestly stand there and say that with a straight face, then I've got news for you…"

"…There is NO WAY you could EVER love him…Because you OBVIOUSLY have NO idea what that means."

For a moment, Rita could only look at Kim with a face full of confusion. But before she could say anything, the door slid open on the far side of the gymnasium, revealing a silhouette walking into the room. An image that looked almost like…

"Ron…?" Kim uttered softly, a smile crossing her lips as Rufus chirped excitedly.

"Darling…?" Rita chimed in, her eyes still looking for a small glimmer of hope, even as Kim and Rufus could only roll their own eyes in annoyance.

However, what walked into the room was not Ron at all. It was shaped exactly like him, no mistake about it. It was even wearing the exact same clothes. But the metal plating instead of skin made it perfectly clear, to Kim, Rufus and Rita's combined shock, that it was, in fact, a robot. And it wasn't alone. Slowly, one by one, over two dozen identical-shaped robots each made their way into the room, slowly marching towards Kim.

"Oh, you have GOT to be kidding," Kim blurted out, her face a mixture of anger and disbelief.

* * *

"It is called the Memory Programmer," Senior explained to Nora, pointing towards the band on Ron's head. "Courtesy of the fine scientific minds at HenchCo. With this band, a wearer's memories can be copied and stored as data and reprogrammed into any computer or robotic system. It can be anything the wearer's mind retains…from computer knowledge to top secret plans to even…fighting styles."

"Yes, I was quite impressed by Ron Stoppable's formidable display of power when he rescued Rita back in my home," Senior continued. "In fact, as he is now, his abilities might rival even those of Kim Possible herself. And with his skills to power my new robot army and my recently launched satellite to command them all from this one location, soon I will have every country in the world bowing to my evil demands."

"And to think, I might never have come up with this ingenious plan had it not been for your timely interference a few days ago. I truly cannot thank you enough."

Scowling angrily, Nora charged forward, hoping to do something to free Ron and upset Senior's plans. Unfortunately, she barely made it a few steps before Senior cut her off, holding her at bay with his cane.

"Uh, uh, uh," he cautioned with a smug grin, "Such behavior is not very ladylike."

Nora, however, was not about to let herself be held back. With a flick of her wrist, her parasol snapped up, knocking the cane out of Senior's hand. Senior was distracted as the cane went flying, but as he turned back, his eyes went wide as he saw Nora twirling her parasol, switching from hand to hand like a master Chinese swordsman.

"Clearly, you have forgotten who it is that you are addressing," she remarked with a stern glare as she took a defensive stance. "Did you think I had lost my touch? If anything, my skills have improved since the last time we saw each other."

Spiraling around on the tip of her parasol, Nora whipped her right foot around to kick in Senior's direction before following up with her left in a second roundhouse kick. Senior was quick enough to back away, but Nora wasn't about to let up, once more twirling her parasol from hand to hand, forcing him further and further back. Until finally, she lunged into Senior with a forward thrust of her parasol, causing him to trip over the wires connected to the band on Ron's head and pulling them free.

A moment later, Ron uttered a few semi-conscious groans, stirring ever-so slightly…until his eyes suddenly snapped open…

* * *

Back in the gymnasium, Rita had no idea what to do as Kim was suddenly set upon by a legion of "Ron-bots". For the moment, she was holding her own, but it was clear just in the opening moments that she had more to worry about than just the sheer numbers against her.

"Okay, mental note. These things don't just look like Ron. They FIGHT like him, too." Kim mused in between groans of effort, dodging one Ron-bot's blows and knocking it back before another one immediately joined the fray, "I think we can firmly list this in the 'Bad Sitch' Category."

Rufus could only nod in agreement, whimpering in fright as he and Kim were cornered against the side wall by the slowly advancing Ron-bots. But just as Kim appeared to have absolutely no idea what to do next, a muffled rumble could be heard on the other side of the wall…followed by another, closer and louder…and then another. Even Rita and the Ron-bots were frozen in their tracks as they looked in the direction the sound had come, with absolutely no idea what was happening.

"Oh…NOW what?" Kim muttered under her breath.

Just then, the far wall of the gymnasium exploded with a roar. A split-second after, a huge slab of metal was sent flying across the room, taking most of the Ron-bots with it as it slammed them into the far wall on the other side, smashing them to rubble. Even the few that remained were sent flying like dust before an angry wind. It took Kim and Rita a moment to recover from the impact of what happened. But there was no question in Kim's mind now as the silhouette stepped into view. There was only one person who could have done THAT.

Kim's smile instantly grew wide and a relieved sigh also managed to escape her lips as Ron stepped out of the dust, his entire body shimmering with its Mystical Monkey Power glow. Even Rita was thrilled to see him. But her excitement was instantly shattered as Ron caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye and turned to her with a fierce glare which actually forced her back a step.

"I'm only going to ask you one time," he hissed, his voice slowly rising to a full-blown shriek. "Where…is…RUFUS?!?!?!"

Upon seeing the look on Ron's face, Rita could only bite her bottom lip and groan slightly as her eyes nervously darted back and forth. Just then, Kim happened to slink up behind her, flashing a sly grin.

"Oooooooooo, someone's in TROUUU-BLLLLLE," she taunted before motioning her head to Rufus, who immediately scampered over to Ron and tugged on his pant leg, chattering happily to get his attention.

"Rufus!" Ron cried out joyously, scooping him up and snuggling against his cheek before looking over and seeing Kim. "KP!"

"Ron…," Kim sighed as they ran over together, hugging each other tightly. For Ron, nothing else in the world seemed to matter at that moment, except holding Kim close to him. But just then…

"Uh…Baby…?" Kim rasped, rapidly tapping Ron on the shoulder. "Not to kill the mood here, but my ribs are gonna give out in about five seconds…"

"Huh…? WHOA!" Ron blurted out in shock, realizing he was crushing Kim in a Mystical Monkey Powered embrace and instantly tearing himself away.

"Sorry, sorry…! Sorry…sorry…"

Kim needed a few seconds to catch her breath as she held herself up against Ron for support. But once she was done gasping and choking, all she could do was smile with a hollow giggle as she gently took Ron's face in her hands and fluttered a soft kiss past his lips. At that moment, Rufus was dangling from Kim's leg holster, whistling up at them and waving Ron's half-heart pendant around before placing it in Kim's hand.

"Here," Kim noted softly as she reached around and fastened the necklace back around Ron's neck. "I think you lost something."

There didn't seem to be a need to say anything more as Kim kept her arms wrapped around Ron's neck and Ron gently placed his hands on Kim's hips. And as they both leaned in, sharing another gentle peck before pressing their foreheads together and looking into each others' eyes with a warm gaze, Rita could only turn away and hang her head. It was at that moment that she finally realized her total and utter defeat at trying to win Ron's heart.

Just then, Ron felt another tap on his shoulder…

"Huh…? What the…?!" he exclaimed as he turned around to see a Ron-bot standing behind him. Surprised at first, Ron suddenly turned curious as he leaned forward. And strangely enough, the Ron-bot did the exact same thing. Instinctively, Ron raised his hand, only to have the Ron-bot perform the same act, like a mirror image.

"Uh, Ron…?" Kim uttered nervously trying to get Ron's attention as the Ron-bot continued to mimic his every motion.

"Whoa…now THIS is cool! I mean, how did they get the mirrors to look like that?" Ron remarked, quite excited until his gaze slightly shifted. "Huh…that's weird. KP, I don't see YOUR reflection anywhere. But that can't be right…unless…oh no!"

"Ron!" Kim called again, louder than before. Instantly, Ron whirled around, but not for the reason she thought.

"Kim, have you been turned into a vampire?!" Ron screamed, checking Kim's neck back and forth for any markings even as the Ron-bot loomed behind him, readying its fist to strike. "I mean, you'd tell me if you got turned into a vampire, right? RIGHT?!"

"RON!" Kim shouted at the top of her lungs and pulling Ron forward as the Ron-bot's fist came down, smashing into the floor where Ron had just been standing.

"WHOA!!! Okay, fun mirrors are NOT supposed to do that!" Ron shrieked, sliding beside Kim who could only hang her head with a heavy sigh.

"Why?" she thought out loud, shrugging her shoulders and turning away as though she was looking at the viewing audience from a TV screen. "Because I love him, that's why."

But there was no time for sarcasm or explanations as the few Ron-bots who hadn't been destroyed by Ron's entrance had recovered and were moving in to attack once again. Once again, Kim and Ron were managing to stay in one piece as they traded and dodged blows from the Ron-bots, but Ron's confusion and the numbers made it hard for them to gain an advantage. And as they both swept away a blow from an advancing Ron-bot, it also left them open to attack as the Ron-bots lunged forward with an open palm to strike.

At that moment, Kim and Ron each instinctively flinched, only to open their eyes a second later to discover that nothing had happened. Curiously, the Ron-bots in front of them had stopped their attack just inches away from their bodies. But what was REALLY confusing was the fact that the pair of Ron-bots in front of them looked just as perplexed as Kim and Ron did, looking down at their hands as if they expected something to happen. Again, they shoved their hands forward towards Kim and Ron, but again, nothing happened. Two more attempts followed, in rapid succession…Again, nothing. At this point, even the other Ron-bots started looking over their shoulders at their hands, as if they couldn't figure out why something that they seemed so sure would happened wasn't happening.

"Uh, Ron?" Kim whispered in Ron's direction. "I think they're trying to do your little…hand…air…pushy…thing."

"You can't think of a name for it either? I know, I've REALLY been trying to think of one," Ron answered with an annoyed eye-roll. "I mean, I'm not saying it has to be REALLY flashy. But just something to give my repertoire a little zip, you know…?"

"Uh, Ron, not the point," Kim chimed in, trying to nudge Ron's train of thought in the right direction. "Don't you see? These things may know your MOVES, but they DON'T have your POWERS. That means…"

"Oooooooooohhh…" Ron responded with a knowing smile, finally picking up on what Kim was trying to say. A second later, his body flashed with its Mystical Monkey Power glow, instantly regaining the attention of the distracted Ron-bots.

"Ron," Kim announced with a confident smirk, "Maybe it's time you showed these wannabes how it's REALLY done."

With a grin of his own, Ron wasn't about to waste a single second, pulling his arms back and slamming them forward before anyone or any-THING else in the room had any time to react. A split-second later, all the was left of the remaining Ron-bots was a smattering of metal and wire bashing through the far wall of the gymnasium, courtesy of Ron's force wave. And as Kim and Ron stared triumphantly at the twisted pile of rubble on the other side of the wall, it seemed as though the crisis was well and truly over.

"Huh, it's too bad, really," Kim commented jokingly, "They were actually kind of cute."

"Kim…," Ron responded, a slight whine in his voice.

"Oh, stop," Kim answered with a soft kiss to Ron's cheek before draping her arms around his neck. "You know I prefer the real thing."

* * *

Meanwhile, Nora continued her battle against Senior, although the outcome was looking more one-sided by the second. Nora's smooth attacks and fluid combinations of kicks and parasol strikes were consistently keeping Senior off balance, stumbling back and forth around the room. Then, with the right opening, Nora leapt up, catching Senior under the jaw with a backwards flip kick which slammed him into the far wall. With victory assured, Nora simply flashed her parasol forward to hold Senior at bay as he struggled to his feet.

"Such a pity you never put forth the effort to properly hone these skills," she commented, a touch of criticism in her voice. "You always preferred wasting time with your bicycles and skateboards and the rest of your foolish sports hobbies."

Senior, however, was not about to allow himself to be defeated just yet. Pulling a small remote from his jacket, he simply pressed a button. Suddenly, Nora heard several metallic clangs which drew her attention back to the computer terminal, only to see Rita's gymnasium on the screen, with several compartments opening around the floor and ceiling. Kim, Ron and Rita, meanwhile, could only gaze around the room with a perplexed look before Kim got an idea of what was happening.

"Uh, Rita?" she asked suspiciously. "You didn't happen to let your uncle do any interior decorating on this place, did you?"

"Well…," Rita's voice trailed off as she looked away shyly and nervously tapped her index fingers together. "He…might have made…one or two…little…suggestions…"

Just then, the ceiling compartments burst open, revealing lines of laser cannons, ready to fire in a heartbeat. Rita gasped in shock as Kim and Ron's bodies were instantly peppered with red dots from the lasers' targeting beams. However, Kim and Ron could only stand there with dull looks on their faces, having seen this kind of thing from Senior far too often to be surprised anymore.

"Self-activating lasers?" Ron remarked dryly.

"Yep," Kim replied, equally unimpressed.

Rita, having never seen this kind of danger before, could only back away, shuddering in fright. But she barely made it two steps before the floor opened up behind her, causing her to jump away with a yelp of fright. Quite the appropriate reaction as it turned out, since the floor dropped into a shallow pool filled with growling, snapping alligators.

"Oh…that'll be the alligator pit," Ron announced, still hardly surprised.

"And that can ONLY mean…," Kim added, sounding almost annoyed as she motioned her hand to the doorways aligning the far wall.

Sure enough, true to Kim's prediction, the doors opened up to unleash the spiraling fury of Senior's Spinning Tops of Doom, ready to grind anything that crossed their path into a fine pulp. Kim and Ron could only hang their heads and sigh at having yet another go-around with Senior's predictable arsenal. Rita, however, surrounded by danger on all sides, could only let out a piercing shriek of unrelenting terror.

"Okay…Ron, you handle the spin cycle, alright? I'll take care of Rita and the light show," Kim planned out, as Ron responded with a firm nod of agreement. "Break!"

With that, Kim and Ron leaped apart, barely avoiding the wave of laser blasts that slammed into the ground where they had just been standing. Immediately, Ron charged into the Spinning Tops of Doom, his Mystical Monkey Power glow flashing once again. Grabbing one of the tops as he reached it, Ron's fingers actually dug into the steel plating, forcing the top to a grinding halt before bashing it into another top, taking it out of commission as well. Then, without a pause, Ron whirled around and tossed the top in his hands across the room, sending it flying into three others, which smashed them into the walls.

Kim, meanwhile firmly had the lasers' attention, running across the room towards Rita, who could only huddle in fear once she saw the barrage of lasers heading towards her. But she soon let out another yelp of fright as Kim fired her grapple, grabbing Rita's collar and swinging her across the alligator pit before unceremoniously dumping her onto the other side. From there, Kim swung in a wide circle around the lasers as they continued to fire, each trying their best to hit her. Unfortunately for the lasers, however, they were all firing so relentlessly that all they managed to hit was each other, exploding one after another like fireworks. Within seconds, there was only one left, which Kim swung in and kicked away, instantly eliminating its threat.

Clearly, Kim and Ron had the situation in the gymnasium well in hand. But such observations were completely irrelevant to Nora, who could only look on the screen in horror. All she knew at that moment was that her daughter was in terrible danger.

However, such a distraction was exactly what Senior was counting on, opening a compartment beside him which revealed a rocket powered escape pod. Diving inside and peering out at Nora through the window, Senior simply responded with a fluttery wave of amusement before the pod took off. Nora could only scowl in anger at her brother escaping, but at that moment, she hardly had the luxury of worrying about it.

"Lupo!" she shouted as she ran out the door, her manservant wheeling right behind her.

Meanwhile, back in the gym, Kim had long-since dispatched the lasers, leaving Ron to finish off the few remaining Spinning Tops of Doom. A task that he was just in the process of wrapping up as he grabbed onto another one, this time, not only stopping it, but sending it spiraling in the opposite direction. The now-opposing top then slammed into the remaining three behind it a second later, smashing them all to bits. With the last of the traps eliminated, Rufus jumped onto Ron's shoulder and cheered in approval, just as Nora and Lupo entered the room.

"Rita!" she shouted, running towards her and hugging her tightly. "Oh, my beautiful daughter, are you alright?!"

"I'm okay, Mother," Rita replied softly, hugging Nora back before pulling away and looking at her smiling face with a hopeful gaze. "So…does this mean you are not angry with me anymore?"

"Not a chance," Nora answered abruptly, her smile instantly dissolving into an acid frown.

Rita hung her head with a slight whine as Kim could only shrug and roll her eyes. Just then, the tone of the Kimmunicator caught everyone's attention.

"What's up, Wade?" Kim immediately responded.

"Uh, Kim? I just thought you might like to know…," Wade answered nervously, his eyes darting back and forth. "Uh…remember when…Max went up to check on that satellite that Senior launched?"

"Yeeeaaahhh," Kim replied with an immediately suspicious tone, "What-about-it?"

"Wellllllll…" Wade uttered, wincing as he scratched the back of his head.

* * *

Even in midday, the remains of Senior's satellite could clearly be seen streaking through the sky like a massive ball of fire. Granted, the event of a satellite falling out of the sky was hardly an uncommon occurrence. In most cases, they simply crashed harmlessly into the ocean. But such was not the case with this particular satellite, which was heading straight and true towards a single island…

…Rita's island!

More than that, Max, who was actually standing on top of the flaming satellite, seemed completely oblivious to what was happening. With a twisted smile across his face, his free hand was tightly clenched around two streams of magical energy wrapped around the front of the satellite, almost as though he were holding the reins of a team of horses.

"HYAH, MULE! HYAH, HYAH!" he shouted over the top of his lungs, laughing hysterically as he waved his cane over his head like a riding whip. "HYAH! HYAH, HYAH…! HYAAAAAAAH MUUUUULE!"

* * *

"Okay…we have to leave now," Kim tried to announce casually, despite her trembling voice and the panic etched across her face.

Ron and the others needed no encouragement to take her seriously as they ran out with Kim as fast as they could. It took them time to reach the outside, but once they did, they all looked up in shock to see Senior's satellite already in view, plummeting towards them at a blinding speed. At that point, the only possible hope of escape was Kim's car, which was what she'd used to transport Nora to the island in the first place. But it had been left parked on the beach. There was no way they would be able to make it in time.

Just then, a huge stream of smoke and glitter came into view, covering the underside of the satellite as it streaked through the sky. And gradually, the satellite began to level off, falling at a much shallower angle than it was before. Now, instead of striking the island, the satellite was positioned to pass harmlessly over it. It seemed that maybe Max knew what he was really doing after all…

But…if that was so…why was he still riding the satellite?

"HYAH, MULE! HYAH! HYAAAAAAAH!" Max continued to shriek with delight as the satellite roared overhead.

Kim only caught the briefest glimpse of Max on the satellite as it shot past, but she lost them both a split-second later as they disappeared past the tree-line. But another second or two later, the satellite slammed into the ocean with a thunderous crash, unleashing a searing explosion of steam. It wasn't hard for the cloud to be seen wafting into the sky from where the other's were standing. And instantly, Kim's mind turned to Max's safety, whirling her head towards Ron with a look of dread before breaking off into a mad dash to her car, with the others right behind her.

The steam from the impact had blanketed the entire shoreline like a dense fog before Kim and the others had driven around to the other side of the island. And as Kim and the others got out and tried to peer through the haze as best they could, it was almost impossible not to fear the worst.

Just then, a wisp of sound echoed in their ears. Something that sounded almost like…laughter. And sure enough, casually strolling into view a moment later, with his cane slung over his shoulder, was Max. Not only was he completely unharmed, he was actually chuckling with an almost childlike glee. And even as Ron and Rufus were pleasantly relieved and Rita and Nora were momentarily stunned, Kim could only roll her eyes. After all, at this point, she and Ron REALLY should have known better.

"Having fun?!" Kim exclaimed, her voice a mixture of sarcasm and disbelief as she as the others ran over to him.

"Actually, yes," Max replied cheerfully suddenly appearing very thoughtful, "Although I suppose my only regret is that amusement park rides are going to do NOTHING for me after this."

"Aw, poor baby," Kim responded cynically before turning back to the aftermath of everything that had happened. "Well, at least everything's okay now. It's just too bad that Senior got away."

"Well, why is that a big deal?" Ron asked, with Rufus nodding in agreement. "I mean, it's not like we don't know where he's gonna take off to, right? So why don't we just go back to his island and…?"

"Actually, that will not be necessary," Nora interrupted with a casual smile. "Lupo, if you would be so kind…"

"At once, Señora," Lupo answered, opening a compartment in his chest to reveal a small view screen. Instantly, the screen flipped on, revealing the unmistakable face of…

"Wade?" Kim blurted out, quite confused.

"I was able to contact your friend through Lupo before we'd found our way back to the gymnasium," Nora explained before turning her attention back to Wade, "Is it done?"

"Oh, it's done," Wade answered, "I was able to hack into the escape pod's computer and alter its destination, just like you asked."

"'Alter' it? To where?" Ron asked, as an equally confused Rufus shrugged his shoulders.

"Well…let's just say he's gone to a big house, alright," Wade replied before throwing up security footage of a prison onscreen, where Senior's escape pod had crashed outside the gates. "Just…not his."

"Excellent," Nora declared, appearing quite satisfied with the outcome as the footage showed Senior's pod being quickly surrounded by prison guards, "Gracias, Señor Wade."

"De nada, Señora," Wade answered, "Believe me, it was my pleasure."

"Well, that's the end of that," Kim remarked with an amused smile as Senior was pulled from the pod and taken away by the guards. Just then, she felt Ron's arm wrap around her waist and as she looked up into his eyes, she suddenly remembered what all this insanity had been about in the first place. And at that moment, she couldn't help tossing him a warm smile.

"Well, I guess we'd better get home now. What do you say?" she added affectionately, sliding her finger down Ron's cheek as they lingered in the moment for just a second longer.

"Agreed," Nora replied, turning her attention back to Rita as everyone began to walk back to Kim's car. "And as for YOU, young lady…once we DO arrive home, you and I are going to have a VERY-LONG-TALK."

"Aw, man…," Rita blurted out, sounding almost Ron-like in her whine.

"Don't start!" Kim warned sternly.

* * *

"So…I'm guessing that Señorita Rita Senior WON'T be coming to MCC next term?" Zita speculated with an amused smile as she sat across the booth from Kim and Ron at Bueno Nacho the next day.

"Not as such," Kim replied. "I think there are still some things her mother needs to educate her on a little bit first."

"Yeah, I figured," Zita responded before the beep of her watch caught her attention.

"Oop, I'd better head back if I don't wanna be late for class," she added as she rose from her seat, but tossing a sly grin in Kim and Ron's direction as she noticed their hands locked together on the table. "Now, be good, you two."

"Mmm, if not, we'll try to be better," Kim answered, leaning over and caressing Ron's cheek with a soft peck before guiding his face around with her free hand to place a feathery kiss on his lips.

There didn't seem to be anything more for Zita to say as she rolled her eyes with an amused smile and walked out the door, leaving Kim and Ron to cuddle in their booth. Still, they didn't stay that way for long. A few minutes later, they were out the doors and walking down the block, hand in hand.

"Well, I hope whatever Nora does, she'll be able to straighten Rita out," Kim remarked out of the blue.

"What's up, Kim?" Ron asked. "You almost sound like you feel sorry for her."

"Well…I guess I do, now that I think about it," Kim replied, "I mean, it's not like she really KNEW any better. And Senior DID kind of trick her into doing what she did. And then…"

"…Well, don't get me wrong," she added as she stopped walking and looked into Ron's eyes with a loving gaze. "I mean, sometimes I like feeling like I'm the only one who gets you. It… makes you feel even MORE special to me…"

"…But…at the same time…it was…kind of nice…to meet someone who saw the same things in you that I do."

"Yeah?" Ron asked, smiling into Kim's eyes.

"Yeah," Kim answered as she gazed warmly into Ron's eyes. Then suddenly, she draped her arms around Ron's neck, meeting his lips in a deep kiss before pulling away and flashing him a sly look.

"But you're MINE and I'm KEEPING you."

"Oh…I think I can live with that," Ron responded with a loving grin as he and Kim held each other close, sharing another gentle peck before holding hands and walking off again.

Meanwhile, Max was on his way into Bueno Nacho when he noticed Kim and Ron down the block. As they kissed and walked away, he simply responded with a nod of approval. But a moment later, he soon had something else to get his attention as his eyes slowly panned over his shoulder with a smug grin.

Kevin Barkin was flashing a stern look in Max's direction as he peered out from a nearby bush. Dressed in camouflage gear with twigs and branches tied around him, he was bound and determined not to lose sight of Max this time. In fact, all he could think about was how Max had given him the slip so easily, the day before last. For the life of him, Barkin still couldn't figure out how he did it. But this challenge wasn't over yet. If anything, Barkin was even more determined to follow through on his vow to keep Max under his watchful eye. But just then…

"What are we looking at?" a voice cheerfully whispered behind him. A voice that could only belong to…

Impossible! It couldn't be! But as Barkin whirled around, there was no doubting his eyes as he saw Max leaning over beside him, looking him in the face with a wide, toothy grin. But how was that possible? Barkin was watching him the whole time. He'd been at the Bueno Nacho doors and hadn't moved a muscle.

"Hi," Max announced simply with a fluttery wave.

Instinctively, Barkin flashed his gaze back to the doors, only to gasp in shock upon seeing that Max was no longer there. But how could he POSSIBLY have…? Without a pause, Barkin whirled around in rage, only to see that Max was no longer beside him. In fact, he wasn't ANYWHERE!

Just then, Barkin heard something echo in his ears. It almost sounded like Max's laughter blowing on the wind, taunting his efforts. At that moment, Barkin's entire body trembled in rage as he reared back and roared to the heavens, forcing all the birds in the area to take to the skies in fright. Of course, his bellow was too far away for Kim and Ron to hear as they blissfully kept walking, hand in hand, down the street, their heads softly resting against each other.

The End


End file.
